The low-cost sensor quickly calculates where the satellite is pointing in the orbit
IIA team mounted the sensor on the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM)
The scientists develop it from off-the-shelf components and can be used for any mission
Bengaluru, NFAPost: A new low-cost star sensor developed by astronomers from off-the-shelf components was recently launched by ISRO on board PSLV C-55.
In its first-ever space test, the sensor, which is mounted on the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM), is performing well, and the initial data has now validated its design as well as its function.
The StarBerrySense payload developed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), was launched on 22 April.
This novel low-cost sensor designed to quickly calculate where the satellite is pointing is being tested in space for the very first time.
The astronomers from the Space Payloads Group at the institute have announced that not only has StarBerrySense withstood the harsh conditions in space and is functioning as expected, the initial data shows that it is able to calculate the pointing direction.
For any space mission, it is crucial to know where the satellite is being pointed to at any given time. While there are several ways to do this, a star sensor provides the most accurate information about a spacecraft’s orientation.
The start sensor designed by the Space Payloads Group at IIA is capable of finding its pointing direction in space by identifying the stars in its field of view.
Indian Institute of Astrophysics Technical Lead of the Project and Ph.D. student Bharat Chandra said this payload is built around the well-known minicomputer RaspberryPi.
“Its electronics and software were designed in-house. The advantage of this payload is that it is cost-effective, simple to build, and can be deployed on a wide variety of satellites,” added Indian Institute of Astrophysics Technical Lead of the Project and Ph.D. student Bharat Chandra.
StarBerrySense Project Principal Investigator Rekhesh Mohan said StarBerrySense was mounted on ISRO’s PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM), which provides a stable platform for our payload to operate from.
“POEM is a unique initiative by ISRO that utilises the spent 4th stage of the PSLV as an orbital platform for carrying out scientific experiments. It is an excellent opportunity to conduct short-term scientific experiments in space,” said StarBerrySense Project Principal Investigator Rekhesh Mohan.
Former Visiting Scientist at IIA and Member Of StarBerrySense Team Binukumar said the primary objective of the project is to assess its survivability and performance in space.
“The flight qualification tests were done at the MGK Menon Laboratory for Space Sciences, located in the CREST campus of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics at Hosakote. Sky imaging tests were conducted at our Vainu Bappu Observatory,” Former Visiting Scientist at IIA and Member Of StarBerrySense Team Binukumar.
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IIA Ph.D. student Shubham Ghatul said during the days following the launch, the team had verified that StarBerrySense is performing as expected in space.
The main function of StarBerrySense is to image the field of view, correctly identify the stars it sees, and calculate the pointing direction.
IIA Ph.D. student in the team Shubhangi Jain said analysis of the preliminary data has confirmed that the imaging equipment works as expected, and the onboard software is able to calculate the pointing direction.
Mahesh Babu, an electronics engineer with the team said using the images received from the payload the team is verifying its accuracy by comparing with data from international databases.
StarBerrySense Project Principal Investigator Rekhesh Mohan said working with the PSLV team was a great learning experience for the whole team.
“Guidance and support from IN-SPACe was also invaluable in this successful venture,” added StarBerrySense Project Principal Investigator Rekhesh Mohan. The team also consisted of Margarita Safonova (DST Woman-Scientist) and Jayant Murthy (Visiting Professor).
