Miniature inertial measurement unit explained

Miniature inertial measurement unit (MIMU) is an inertial measurement unit (IMU) developed and built by Honeywell International^[1] to control and stabilize spacecraft during mission operations. MIMUs can also be configured to perform as an inertial reference unit (IRU). MIMUs have been flown on GEO, Low Earth orbit (LEO), planetary missions and deep-space-probe applications.

Missions

Geostationary (GEO) missions

• Spacebus

Low-Earth orbiting (LEO) Missions

• Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)

Planetary missions

• Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter^[2] – launched in 2005 on a mission to study the planet Mars
• STEREO^[3] – launched in 2006 on a mission to study the Sun
• Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter^[4] – launched in 2009 on a mission to study the Moon

Deep-space-probe missions

• New Horizons – launched in 2006 on a mission to study the planet Pluto

External links

• Images of Miniature Inertial Measurement Unit (MIMU)
• OF SPACE AND TIME – St. Pete Times Story (2006-02-06)
• OF SPACE AND TIME – St. Petersburg Times Newspaper Page
• Honeywell Satellite Guidance & Attitude Control
• Honeywell Miniature Inertial Measurement Unit (MIMU) Specification Brochure

Notes and References

1. Space-qualified GPS receiver and MIMU for an autonomous on-board guidance and navigation package . 15 December 1995 . B. Garavelli . L. Marradi . A. Morgan . Hiroyuki . Martin N. . Fujisada . Sweeting . 2583 . Advanced and Next-Generation Satellites . 539–547 . 10.1117/12.228600. 1995SPIE.2583..539G . 111168226 .
2. Web site: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Design Approach for High-Resolution Surface Imaging . PDF . American Astronautical Society . 2006-07-29 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090227062102/http://trs-new.jpl.nasa.gov/dspace/bitstream/2014/37230/1/03-0246.pdf . 2009-02-27 .
3. Web site: Honeywell To Provide Miniature Inertial Measurement Units For STEREO Spacecraft . Web . Honeywell International, Inc. . 2006-10-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20051125023147/http://www.honeywell.com/en/aerospace/announcement_details.jsp?rowID=115&docID=3995&catID=2 . November 25, 2005 .
4. Web site: NASA GSFC Solicitation: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Intertial (LRO) Reference Unit (IRU) . Web . Moon Today . 2006-11-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060220134052/http://www.moontoday.net/news/viewsr.html?pid=19234 . 2006-02-20 .