CMOS star sensor image acquisition and real-time star centroiding algorithm

Utilizing low power consumption and low-cost development performance of CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) image sensor technology, a novel CMOS star sensor image collection system was designed. Consisting of FPGA (field programmable gates arrays), SRAM and parallel ports, it can accomplish the collection, save and output of star image. By the principle of 4 connection domain image segmentation, a circuit model was designed to realize the star centroiding function of star sensor in FPGA. The model implements the real-time star location algorithm synchronously with image acquisition by adopting pipelining configuration, reduces the workload of data transmission, image tracking and recognition of RISC in data processing unit of star sensor, and improves the performance of star sensor system. Comparing with the software processing results, the functions of star sensor image collection and centroiding hardware circuits were validated.