SBIR-STTR Award

Optical Physics Company (OPC) is proposing to customize a novel miniaturized interferometric star tracker (MiST) design for cubesats, leading to a new star tracker device C-MiST. All of the optics, the detector focal plane array and the processor for C-MiST will fit inside 100 cubic centimeters, or 1/10th the volume of a 1U cubesat. OPC comes into this project having demonstrated the full size version of the interferometric star tracker (iST) design at TRL 5 under an Air Force Phase II SBIR contract. The proven accuracy of iST is 1000x better than the 0.02 degree requirement of this application. During Phase I, the existing design will be adapted to a lower cost simplified assembly process and plug-and-play interface. This will be followed Phase II prototype design.

Benefit:
OPC has partnered with Boeing for its interferometric star tracker technology transition. Boeing already has a picosatellite CubeSat TestBed 1 (CSTB1) in orbit with another - CSTB3 to demonstrate larger spacecraft capabilities such as higher communications bandwidth, three-axis control, onboard autonomy, and advanced dynamic power management in the works. Additional applications of OPC’s star tracker are Missile Defense satellite constellations, various DoD and NASA satellite GN&C subsystems, various ISR missions and GPS Independent Navigation and Guidance units.

Keywords:
Star Tracker, Cubesat

Optical Physics Company (OPC) is proposing to design and build a flight ready miniature interferometric star tracker unit for cubesats (C-MiST). C-MiST will be a stand-alone device with its own processor, built in software and a space plug-and-play architecture (SPA) compliant interface. OPC has been developing the interferometric star tracker concept under SBIR contracts funded by both the Air Force and MDA. The Navy has also funded two different applications of this tracker technology. Current interferometric star tracker technology maturity is TRL 4. During the first phase of this project, OPC proved the feasibility of the specific C-MiST design by analysis and simulation. During the Phase II project, the C-MiST design will be finalized with all components specified so they can be procured or built cost-effectively using available tools. C-MiST hardware includes the optics, the read-out and processor electronics, and the mechanical enclosure including sunshade. These parts will be assembled into a complete C-MiST unit and subjected to both laboratory and field tests to verify flight readiness. Starfield image processing modules embedded in flight software and a SPA-compliant cubesat interface will be coded and tested. At the end of the Phase II project, C-MiST will be delivered to AFRL.

Benefit:
OPC is building three product lines around its interferometric star tracker technology. These product lines are star trackers for spacecraft guidance, navigation and control, sensors for ISR missions for tracking dim objects of interest, and GPS independent navigation and guidance on airborne platforms. The hardware and software developed for the self contained C-MiST package will benefit all three product lines. At the national level, any star tracker development project should be aimed at reviving the domestic manufacturing base for this device which has been waning in the United States. OPC has been investing in star tracker technology development with the goal of becoming a star tracker device manufacturer. OPC is already working on realizing this vision and has formulated a funding scenario to reach this goal.

Keywords:
Star Tracker, Three Axis Attitude Control, Cubesat, Interferometer, Space Plug And Play Architecture