High Radiation Tolerant Star Tracker for Icy Ocean Worlds Exploration

NewBridge Partners, Inc. has developed an innovative, radiation-hard, very high-performance all-reflective optics star tracker deemed HRST (High Radiation Star Tracker). The instrument directly addresses the need for long-life performance in high radiation environments such as Jupiter where current conventional star trackers cannot readily meet the harsh radiation requirements. The design consists of a 3-mirror reflective triplet design form with an additional fold mirror. Additionally, with the inclusion of TRL8 on-board advanced processing algorithms it is readily possible to achieve better than 500 nrad of random star tracker error, rivaling the best performance available in the world today. The size, weight and power are in family with the other star trackers, resulting in an overall very high-performance GNC sensor with outstanding performance, capable of supporting NASA in operating in a high-radiation environment to study icy ocean worlds.

Supports NASA spacecraft in earth observing orbits as well as satellites used for planetary exploration that require high radiation subsystems (MEO, Jovian, etc.) Provides 4X better performance over commercial star trackers with comparable SWaP for spacecraft requiring star trackers in any orbit Design form scalable to many other NASA EO/IR missions requiring good radiation performance

The proposed star tracker can be used in potential commercial applications especially with the expanding interest in the cislunar arena. Star trackers are used on many space vehicles in support of attitude control, for earth-orbiting satellites as well as satellites dedicated to the study of planets, moons, asteroids, and comets beyond Earth orbit.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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