On spacecraft attitude display

Abstract

A calculation minimised procedure for the graphics display of spacecraft attitude changes is presented. Based on the attitude errors, the body orientations with respect to two fundamental reference frames are computed and plotted using multiple view ports. The display is continuously updated with the help of dou ble buffering techniques on a bitplane-oriented screen. As an alternate scheme, the use of segment definitions is considered. Computation time as well as device overhead are effectively reduced by appropriate choice of the mathematical model and related hidden surface algorithm. Also discussed is the extension of the procedure for complex surface geometries and under pro jections along arbitrary directions.