Abstract: A generalized total least squares method is adopted to in-orbit identification of the inertial matrix of a zero momentum satellite. A prior minimum distance solution is defined: this solution closest to the prior estimate in solution space as if measurement information is not enough to determine a unique solution. An algorithm of the prior minimum distance solution is proposed, and applied to in-orbit identification of an inertial matrix. Simulation results validate feasibility of the identification method and advantage of the prior minimum distance solution over the minimum norm solution.

Key words: zero momentum satellite, inertial matrix, in-orbit identification, generalized total least squares, prior estimate