An Algorithm Providing All-Attitude Capability for Three-Gimballed Inertial Systems

This paper describes an algorithm which protects a three-gimballed inertial system against gimbal lock while preserving the inertial reference. One sample of the gimbal angles and gimbal angle rates for a torque-free dynamic vehicle provides the information needed to determine whether or not gimbal lock will occur at some later time. When gimbal lock is imminent, the inertial platform is commanded to a new "safe" orientation, and knowledge of the inertial reference is updated accordingly. By iterating this process gimbal lock protection is extended to a vehicle subjected to torques. The results of digital simulations using the Apollo Primary Guidance, Navigation and Control System as a model are presented for various dynamic situations.