TABLE OF CONTENTS The objective of this chapter is to apply the various aspects of strapdown inertial navigation, discussed in the preceding chapters, to a design example. Before any design of an inertial navigation system can be undertaken, it is necessary to make a careful study of the requirements to be placed upon the navigation or stabilisation system in order that the resulting design may be capable of meeting that requirement in a cost effective manner.
The definition of the performance requirement of a navigation or stabilisation system will usually define the accuracy to which it must perform. For example, in the case of a navigation system, it will state the accuracy in position, velocity and attitude to be achieved for a given vehicle and the period of time for which that navigation must take place. It is also vitally important to define the conditions existing at the start of navigation, and the total environment in which the system must operate. These factors, taken together, will influence each of the following aspects of the design solution:
the system configuration required;
the navigation system error budget;
the methods by which the system can be aligned immediately prior to the start of navigation;
the inertial sensors which are most appropriate for the task;
the design of the system computational algorithms;
system testing, calibration and compensation requirements.
These aspects are discussed in the context of a generic requirement for a strapdown inertial navigation system which is needed to achieve mid-course guidance of a hypothetical...
