Experience Summary of Star Sensor Satellite Productization

star sensors are a typical basic product for various aircraft applications. In the past 10 years, the practice of product engineering has summarized many beneficial experiences. Against the backdrop of diversified space mission requirements and the trend of autonomous and controllable components, this article summarizes the beneficial experience of star sensor products with high maturity in terms of model reduction, technical status control, and batch production.
Star sensors are optical attitude sensors based on stars as measurement benchmarks, capable of outputting high-precision attitude information. They are currently the core single machine products of various spacecraft attitude and orbit control subsystems. In 2001, the Shanghai Aerospace Control Technology Research Institute independently developed star sensors, forming two main types of star sensor products, mainly CCD and APS CMOS detectors. According to accuracy, they can be divided into medium precision, high precision, and very high precision products. The star sensor products of the research institute have undergone full development in the fourth generation, tracking the development trends abroad, and have started planning for the fifth generation products.
Since the 12th Five Year Plan, the research institute has strengthened the product development and production mode of star sensor products, accumulating some experience in product development work. This article summarizes the beneficial experience of Shanghai Aerospace Technology Research Institute’s star sensor products with a maturity level of 4 or above in terms of model reduction, technical status control, and batch production, for reference in product development work.

1、 Demodelization

In order to achieve product model reduction, the star sensor has established and optimized a type spectrum product based on summarizing the application experience of multiple types of products, and completed the unification and verification of the selection status of multiple models to solidify the shelf selection status of the type spectrum product, as shown in Figure 1. By unifying product technical indicators, hardware interfaces, testing methods, and test conditions, product specifications have been improved; Based on the application experience of the model and the characteristics of the product itself, the technical status configuration of the designed product can be selected; Sort out product data packages, solidify design and process documents, drawings, refine operation and inspection documents, strengthen outsourced product assurance requirements, establish and improve product data packages throughout the entire product development and production lifecycle in accordance with the requirements for traceability, and achieve traceability throughout the entire development process.

2、 Technical status control

In response to the transformation of the research and production management mode of the research institute, the technical status management of single unit star sensor products is guided by the “Management Measures for Technical Status of Aerospace Products of the Research Institute”. Based on compliance with standards, emphasis is placed on construction and improvement. Based on the development stage and product characteristics of star sensor products, We have implemented three key measures: “production baseline confirmation control,” “development of production process cards,” and “technical status ledger based global control. By strengthening baseline and technical status management, enhancing process control capabilities, and ensuring product quality stability and consistency.

3、 Establish and implement a batch production management model

On the premise of meeting the core performance indicators, the star sensor batch production mode pays more attention to the control of production operation specifications, production efficiency, product quality consistency, product reliability, and other aspects during the production process. At the same time, higher requirements are put forward for the process by refining, quantifying, and solidifying the process; Standardize production operations and process records, improve the process level of key production links; Implement measures such as production process informatization, digital management and control, and improve the production process of star sensors.
The star sensor products of the research institute have undergone product transformation and promotion, and the establishment of the star sensor product type spectrum has been completed. Research work has been carried out, providing direction for the rational development of product types, improving adaptability, and better meeting user needs; The production and selection mode of shelf products in batch production has been formed, which not only ensures the quality of star sensor products, but also reduces product costs, improves production efficiency and economic benefits. The commercialization of star sensors has also laid the foundation for further scientific management and modern organizational production, creating prerequisite conditions.
Although the implementation of productization work has provided star sensors with good product and application advantages, they still face significant internal promotion difficulties and increasingly prominent external competitive pressures. In order to achieve the overall goal of industrialization of star sensor products and further improve the production work, it is still necessary to continue to pay attention to the following work:
1) It is necessary to strengthen the “bottom-up” independent force to promote the industrialization and industrialization of products. At present, the promotion of product engineering still involves more “top-down” work, and grassroots policies and systems still reflect strong characteristics of superior administrative leadership. It is necessary to further accelerate the internal “productization” organizational reform of the factory, with the professional product chief system as the core entity for operation, and stimulate the autonomy and initiative of industrial development. The functions of the “productization work organization” within the research institute and higher-level management departments have shifted from leadership supervision to service supervision, with a focus on formulating rules and standardizing supervision.
2) It is to further attach importance to the resource allocation and assessment reward system reform of product development and production personnel, use policy guidance to attract outstanding talents to join the product development team, and stimulate the confidence, honor, autonomy, and enthusiasm of product development and production personnel.
3) It is an organic combination of continuous promotion of informatization, digital construction, and productization work, preparing for undertaking more and more complex tasks.