The integration and performance of Honeywell´s SIGI navigator with Orbital´s Pegasus launch vehicle

On August 12, 2003, Orbital Sciences Corporation launched the 21st consecutive successful Pegasus^® launch vehicle into space, delivering the Scientific Satellite (SCISAT-1) Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) spacecraft for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Although this marked the 21st consecutive successful launch by Orbital in a row, this was the first Pegasus launch performed with a new navigation system, the Honeywell Space Integrated Global Positioning System (GPS)/Inertial Navigation System (INS). The intent of this paper is to present the efforts that went into integrating the Space Integrated GPS/INS (SIGI) on the Pegasus by Orbital and Honeywell in order to make the Pegasus SIGI primary navigator, debut an extremely successful launch. This paper discusses and presents the simulation testing and software verification performed at Honeywell Defense & Space Electronic Systems (DSES) space business in Clearwater, FL for the unique Pegasus missionization and actual flight performance data measured by Orbital during the SCISAT-1 launch from Vandenberg air force base.