A Satellite Star Identification Algorithm Based on Polar Grid

In the star identification algorithms based on the inter-star angular distances, more dimensions of the star patterns are adopted to get high rate of success. However, it spends more time for star identification process. To speed up the star identification process while keeping high rate of success, a new stellate pattern composed of all of the stars in the star image is proposed. So the pattern is characterized of maximal dimension. Then a polar grid algorithm is adopted to avoid spending much time in the identification process. The simulations demonstrate that the algorithm is superior to the original grid algorithms and the triangle algorithms in rate of success, robustness to noises, computing cost and memory required.