Reconstruction of spacecraft Foton M-2 attitude motion by acceleration measurements

This preprint presents results of a reconstruction of the spacecraft Foton M-2 attitude motion by measurements of the accelerometer TAS3. The Foton M-2 attitude was already reconstructed by measurements of the Earth magnetic field and the angular rate. The TAS3 measurement data have been used for this purpose for the first time. These data contain secondary clear-cut component, which had unknown (three years ago) origin and made impossible their direct use for reconstruction of a spacecraft attitude motion. The secondary component proved to be caused by the Earth magnetic field. Understanding this fact allowed to introduce the proper correction of the TAS3 data into the processing procedure and to use them for the reconstruction. The given preprint contains escriptions of the improved procedure of processing TAS3 data and results of its testing and application. Testing consisted in the direct comparison of the motion reconstructed in a new way with the motion reconstructed by magnetic measurements. The new procedure allowed to reconstruct the real attitude motion of Foton M-2 in the period 09.06.2005–14.06.2005 when magnetic measurements were not made.