A method for spacecraft power acquisition is provided using single-axis
slit sun sensors for both wing-stowed and wing-deployed spacecraft
configurations. The method for wing-deployed spacecraft includes
initializing a solar wing of the spacecraft to search for sun; rotating
the spacecraft about a search axis substantially parallel to a slit sun
sensor field of view; monitoring the slit sun sensor for a time of
arrival signal; and wherein, if the time of arrival signal occurs, the
spacecraft is rotated along the search axis to an orientation where the
time of arrival signal occurred and the spacecraft is placed in stable
rotation about an axis substantially parallel to a solar wing
longitudinal axis; and for a non-occurrence of the time of arrival
signal, the spacecraft is slewed about a keyhole axis substantially
perpendicular to the search axis to move the sun away from a keyhole.