About the size of a small coin, this device detects changes in inertia. It does it by having patterns of light reflected back on themselves inside the unit and watching the phase change in the light as the IMU is moved from one location to another (i.e. its inertia changes). This device is an improvement on ring-laser-gyros (RLG).
A set of gyroscopes on the Shuttle used to measure the orbiter attitude. Gyro drift introduces a significant, time- dependent error into this measurement.
The Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) is a Shuttle orbiter navigation system which provides attitude and velocity data to the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) system.
An on-board instrument system that measures the attitude of a spacecraft. It includes accelerometers and gyroscopes.
Accelerometers (translation) and gyros (rotation)
An Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) is a closed system that is used to detect altitude, location, and motion. Typically installed on aircraft or UAVs, it normally uses a combination of accelerometers and angular rate sensors (gyroscopes) to track how the craft is moving and where it is.