A miniature star tracker is a highly compact stellar sensor designed for platforms with strict limits on size, weight, power, and cost. Engineers mainly use it on 1U to 12U CubeSats, nanosatellites, and microsatellites. On traditional large satellites (>1000 kg), operators often deploy it as a backup for the primary star tracker or as a subsystem sensor.
Core Features of Miniature Star Tracker
UltraCompact and Lightweight: Most models weigh only 50–200 grams, so they perfectly suit CubeSats and nanosatellites. They easily fit into 1U–6U CubeSats.
Extremely High Attitude Accuracy: Many products achieve 1–10 arcsecond precision. Thus, they far surpass traditional inertial measurement units (IMUs) and currently offer the highest attitude determination accuracy in aerospace.
UltraLow Power Consumption: They typically consume just 1–5 W during operation. Consequently, they greatly extend satellite onorbit lifespan and perfectly match powerlimited microsatellites.
Wide Field of View (FOV): Common FOV reaches 20°–40°. Therefore, the sensor simultaneously observes dozens or even hundreds of stars, which significantly improves redundancy and dynamic performance.
Fully Autonomous Operation: It carries a complete builtin star catalog. As a result, it supports fast initial acquisition in “LostinSpace” mode and determines attitude within seconds without any prior attitude information.
Strong AntiInterference and Environmental Adaptability: A removable baffle effectively blocks stray light from the Sun and Earth albedo. Moreover, radiationhardened design enables it to withstand highenergy particle impacts and extreme temperature variations in space.
Easy Integration: It supports multiple interfaces such as I²C, UART, and SpaceWire. Additionally, standard threaded mechanical interfaces allow quick docking with various platforms.
Main Application Scenarios of Miniature Star Trackers
Satellite and Spacecraft Attitude Control
CubeSats and Micro/Nanosatellites
Defense and Military Applications
Deep Space Exploration and Planetary Rovers
Emerging Civil and CrossDomain Applications
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TY-Space Technology (Beijing) Ltd. is professional focusing on advanced attitude optical sensors, especially Star Trackers for space industry.
