A COMBINED SYSTEM FOR ATTITUDE-CONTROL OF THE ROTATING GEOPHYSICAL ROCKETS

A system for attitude control of the rotating geophysical rockets comp rising an infrared earth horison sensor, a solar sensor and a magnetom eter is described. The sensors measure angles between a rocket rotatio n axis and zenith direction, solar direction, and magnetic field vecto r. The system allows to determine the rocket spatial orientation at ni ght as well as in the daytime. The redundant information obtained usin g three vectors measurements allows to increase reliability and accura cy of attitude control in the daytime. Launches of MR-12 rockets with this system have shown that attitude control accuracy isn't worse than one degree. An independent attitude control method based on the compa rison of bright planets coordinates and rocket spatial orientation at the moment of carrying out the observation of those planets by rocketb orne photometers has confirmed this accuracy value.