Space Vector Corporation - MIdas - Miniature Inertial Digital Attitude System

MIDAS

The Miniature Inertial Digital Attitude System (MIDAS) is a roll stabilized attitude platform providing direct Euler angle outputs at spin rates up to 15 revolutions per second. Because of its high accuracy at large body spin rates, the MIDAS is primarily used in sounding rocket applications as a spatial reference input for controlling vehicle attitude.

Space Vector has been producing the MIDAS platform for over 25 years. The largest user of the MIDAS is Saab Aerospace who uses the platform as a sensor package for the S-19 Boost Guidance System frequently flown on the Black Brant sounding rocket. Many of these systems have been recovered, refurbished, and re-flown up to eight times.

The MIDAS is approximately 5 inches in diameter and 8 inches long, weighing less than 9 pounds. The MIDAS IMU is capable of measuring absolute body orientation in typical sounding rocket flight to within 1.5°, while experiencing roll rates up to 15 rps about the platform roll axis. The unit is powered by 28 volts DC with a peak demand of 3.6 amps and a normal running current of approximately 1.0 amps. No external cooling is required over a ambient temperature range from -65°F (-54°C) to +165°F (+74°C). Maximum drift is better than 0.25° per minute.

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