Gyroscopes are important because they measure the rate of motion as Hubble moves and help ensure the telescope retains correct pointing during observations.
Gyroscopes are devices that measure the speed at which an object is turning. They are needed to help Hubble turn and lock on to new targets. Gyroscopes maintain orientation and provide stability in boats, aircraft and spacecraft based on the principles of angular momentum.
You can experience this effect by holding a bicycle wheel by its axle and asking someone to spin the wheel. If you try to move the axle of the spinning wheel, you will feel a force opposing your attempt to move it. This force is similar to the one produced in the gyroscopes when Hubble moves.
A DTG is a rotor suspended by a universal joint with flexure pivots. The flexure spring stiffness is independent of spin rate. But the dynamic inertia from the gyroscopic reaction effect from the gimbal lends a negative spring stiffness proportional to the square of the spin speed.
So at a particular speed, the two moments cancel each other, freeing the rotor from torque, making it an ideal gyroscope. A ring laser gyroscope uses the Sagnac effect to calculate rotation by measuring the shifting interference pattern of a beam split into two-halves, even as the two-halves move around the ring in opposite directions.
In the Sagnac effect, a beam of light is split and the two beams are made to follow the same path but in opposite directions. On return to the point of entry the two light beams are allowed to exit the ring and undergo interference. A fiber optic gyroscope uses the interference of light to detect mechanical rotation. How a gyroscope works in a ship. With steadicam : During the filming of the speeder bike chase scene in the movie Return of the Jedi, a steadicam - aka camera stabilizer - rig was used along with two gyroscopes for extra stabilization.
In Heading indicators : Gyroscopes are used in heading indicators, also known as directional gyros. The heading indicator has an axis of rotation that is set horizontally, pointing north. But unlike a magnetic compass, it does not seek north. In an airliner, the heading indicator slowly drifts away from north and needs to be reoriented at regular intervals, using a magnetic compass as a reference.
As gyrocompass : The directional gyro may not seek out north, but a gyrocompass does. It does so by detecting the rotation of the earth about its axis and then seeking the true north, instead of the magnetic north. Usually, they have built-in damping to prevent overshoot when re-calibrating from sudden movement.
With accelerometers : Gyroscopes are also used along with accelerometers, which are used to measure proper acceleration. While a simple accelerometer consists of a weight that can freely move horizontally, a more complicated design comprises a gyroscope with a weight on one of the axes. For more information about accelerometers, check out our blog on accelerometers.
This device has no moving parts and is commonly used in modern commercial jetliners, booster rockets, and orbiting satellites. Taking advantage of something called the Sagnac effect , these devices use beams of light to provide a similar function to mechanical gyroscopes. The effect was first demonstrated in by Franz Harris, but it was French scientist Georges Sagnac who correctly identified the cause.
I f a beam of light is split and sent in two opposite directions around a closed path on a revolving platform with mirrors on its perimeter, and then the beams are recombined, they will exhibit interference effects. In , Sagnac concluded that light propagates at a speed independent of the speed of the source.
He also discovered that despite the beams both being within a closed-loop, the beam traveling in the same direction of rotation arrived at its starting point slightly later than the other one. To do this, take your right hand and make a right angle. Then you can stretch your fingers out along the radius of the wheel.
If you curl the end of your fingers in the direction of the spin your thumb will be pointing in the direction of the angular momentum. Basically, the axle of the wheel will be the direction that the entire spinning wheel "wants" to move in.
This video gives us a pretty simple explanation using a suspended bicycle wheel. The interesting properties of gyroscopes have provided scientists and engineers with some fascinating applications.
Their ability to maintain a particular orientation in space is fantastic for some applications. Slap on some sensors and you've got a recipe for usefulness. With that in mind, here are some great examples of the use of gyroscopes in our modern world. In modern aircraft , inertial guidance systems make good use of these relatively simple devices. They have a suite of spinning gyroscopes to monitor and control the orientation of the aircraft in flight.
Spinning gyroscopes are kept in special cages that allow them to keep their orientation, independently of the orientation of the aircraft. The gyroscope cages have electrical contacts and sensors that can relay information to the pilot whenever the plane rolls or pitches.
This lets the pilot and guidance systems "know" the plane's current relative orientation in space. The Mars Rover also has a set of gyroscopes. They provide the Rover with stability as well as aid with navigation.
They also have applications in drone aircraft and helicopters, in providing stability and helping with navigation. Another interesting application of gyroscopes is for the guidance systems of cruise and ballistic missiles. Used to automatically steer and correct roll, pitch, and yaw, gyroscopes sensors have been used for this purpose since the German V-1 and V-2 missiles of World War 2.
Typically, missiles will carry at least two gyroscopes for this purpose, with each gyro providing a fixed reference line from which any deviations can be calculated. One reference tends to include the spin axis of a vertical gyroscope. From this axis, deviations in pitch, roll, and yaw can be readily measured. Sensor fusion. Posted On November 29, Charles Pao. Thursday, November 29, In an earlier post, we defined a piece of technology that is helping to shape the future— the IMU sensor.
Uses: Inertial navigation systems in military aircraft, commercial airliners, ships and spacecrafts Pros: High performance: High accuracy, better than 0. Posted By. Sensor fusion Wireless. August 10, Automotive Sensor fusion Wireless. June 22, May 30, Sensors, sensors everywhere. Now what do I do? Posted On July 25, Moshe Sheier. Posted On March 17, Elia Shenberger.
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