Instrumenting a Long-Arm Centrifuge for Dynamic Calibration of an Inertial Guidance System Using Precision Position Updates

Sheila Flory, Stephen Hayes, Michael Luniewicz and Howard Musoff

Abstract:	Typical centrifuge testing of inertial guidance systems and components employs input acceleration as the controlled variable, and in this type of testing, accurate knowledge of centrifuge-produced acceleration is needed to analyze the data from the unit-under-test (UUT). As UUT performance approaches the part-per-million (ppm) level, sufficiently precise measurement of applied acceleration becomes impractical. An alternative testing approach is based on comparing guidance estimates of position with true position as measured by a time-space-position- instrumentation (TSPI) system. TSPI system accuracy requirements for high-performance guidance system testing fall in the range of 10 milli-in for position measurements with tangential arm tip speeds of 111 ft/s. A centrifuge TSPI system is described, including validation of its performance on a 35-l? centrifuge.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (1996) June 19 - 21, 1996 Royal Sonesta Hotel Cambridge, MA
Pages:	93 - 101
Cite this article:	Flory, Sheila, Hayes, Stephen, Luniewicz, Michael, Musoff, Howard, "Instrumenting a Long-Arm Centrifuge for Dynamic Calibration of an Inertial Guidance System Using Precision Position Updates," Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (1996), Cambridge, MA, June 1996, pp. 93-101.
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