A method to improve estimation and stabilization of navigation data in an inertial navigation system, the method comprising: operating an inertial measurement unit, positioned on a rotational device, oriented in a first orientation with reference to a Z-body axis (Z body) of the inertial navigation system; controlling forward-rotating and reverse-rotating of the rotational device by a rotational control algorithm; forward-rotating about the Z-body axis, the operational inertial measurement unit in one of a clock-wise and counter-clockwise direction by a selected-rotation angle about the Z-body axis (Z body), so that the inertial measurement unit is oriented in a second orientation with reference to the Z-body axis (Z body); operating the inertial measurement unit oriented in the second orientation; reverse-rotating the operational inertial measurement unit in a respective one of the counter- clock-wise and the clockwise direction by the selected-rotation angle about the Z-body axis, so that the inertial measurement unit is oriented in the first orientation; sensing the forward-rotating and the reverse-rotating at a rotational position sensor; continuously receiving information indicative of an orientation of the inertial measurement unit at a rotational compensator; outputting the navigation data at the rotational compensator; continuously-rotationally compensating the navigation data at the rotational compensator, wherein the navigation data output of the rotational compensator corrects for the rotating of the operational inertial measurement unit about the Z-body axis (Z body); receiving position input for a vehicle housing the inertial measurement unit from an aiding sensor co-located with the inertial measurement unit; during forward-rotation and reverse-rotation of the inertial measurement unit, using a Kalman filter to estimate and correct for a heading error of the inertial measurement unit based on the input from the aiding sensor and the rotational compensator. operating an inertial measurement unit, positioned on a rotational device, oriented in a first orientation with reference to a Z-body axis (Z body) of the inertial navigation system; controlling forward-rotating and reverse-rotating of the rotational device by a rotational control algorithm; forward-rotating about the Z-body axis, the operational inertial measurement unit in one of a clock-wise and counter-clockwise direction by a selected-rotation angle about the Z-body axis (Z body), so that the inertial measurement unit is oriented in a second orientation with reference to the Z-body axis (Z body); operating the inertial measurement unit oriented in the second orientation; reverse-rotating the operational inertial measurement unit in a respective one of the counter- clock-wise and the clockwise direction by the selected-rotation angle about the Z-body axis, so that the inertial measurement unit is oriented in the first orientation; sensing the forward-rotating and the reverse-rotating at a rotational position sensor; continuously receiving information indicative of an orientation of the inertial measurement unit at a rotational compensator; outputting the navigation data at the rotational compensator; continuously-rotationally compensating the navigation data at the rotational compensator, wherein the navigation data output of the rotational compensator corrects for the rotating of the operational inertial measurement unit about the Z-body axis (Z body); receiving position input for a vehicle housing the inertial measurement unit from an aiding sensor co-located with the inertial measurement unit; during forward-rotation and reverse-rotation of the inertial measurement unit, using a Kalman filter to estimate and correct for a heading error of the inertial measurement unit based on the input from the aiding sensor and the rotational compensator.