Miniature star tracker for small remote sensing satellites

Lawrence W. Cassidy; Leslie Schlom

doi:10.1117/12.198942

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9 January 1995 Miniature star tracker for small remote sensing satellites

Lawrence W. Cassidy, Leslie Schlom

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Proceedings Volume 2317, Platforms and Systems; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.198942
Event: Satellite Remote Sensing, 1994, Rome, Italy

Abstract

Designers of future remote sensing spacecraft, including platforms for Mission to Planet Earth and small satellites, will be driven to provide spacecraft designs that maximize data return and minimize hardware and operating costs. The attitude determination subsystems of these spacecraft must likewise provide maximum capability and versatility at an affordable price. Hughes Danbury Optical Systems (HDOS) has developed the Model HD-1003 Miniature Star Tracker which combines high accuracy, high reliability and growth margin for `all-stellar' capability in a compact, radiation tolerant design that meets these future spacecraft needs and whose cost is competitive with horizon sensors and digital fine sum sensors. Begun in 1991, our HD-1003 development program has now entered the hardware qualification phase. This paper acquaints spacecraft designers with the design and performance capabilities of the HD- 1003 tracker. We highlight the tracker's unique features which include: (1) Very small size (165 cu. in.). (2) Low weight (7 lbs). (3) Multi-star tracking (6 stars simultaneously). (4) Eighteen arc-sec (3-sigma) accuracy. (5) Growth margin for `all-stellar' attitude reference.

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Lawrence W. Cassidy and Leslie Schlom "Miniature star tracker for small remote sensing satellites", Proc. SPIE 2317, Platforms and Systems, (9 January 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.198942

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