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Russian tech firm launches trials of star ‘navigator’ for small satellites

The star sensor is designed to determine the spacecraft’s spatial orientation relative to the inertial equatorial stellar system of coordinates through the observation of stars in the visible spectrum

MOSCOW, May 4. /TASS/. A small-size star sensor AZDK-1 for small spacecraft developed by Azmerit (part of the Russian Space Systems Company within the State Space Corporation Roscosmos) has entered flight trials, the Company’s press office announced on Tuesday.

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"The small-size star sensor AZDK-1 created by Azmerit LLC, a subsidiary of the Russian Space Systems Holding Company (part of Roscosmos) for small space vehicles has begun flight trials," the press office said in a statement.

The new device makes part of the Orbicraft-Zorkiy Earth’s remote sensing satellite produced by the company Sputnix. The star sensor is designed to determine the spacecraft’s spatial orientation relative to the inertial equatorial stellar system of coordinates through the observation of stars in the visible spectrum, it specified.

The new sensor is three-four times cheaper than foreign analogues, the press office quoted Azmerit Deputy CEO Marat Abubekerov as saying.

"The device is characterized by moderate accuracy and low power consumption while its mass and dimensional characteristics make it possible to place it into one unit of a small space vehicle. As its advantage, the star sensor has a low cost: it is three-four times cheaper than foreign analogues," Abubekerov said.

The Orbicraft-Zorkiy satellite was delivered into a near-Earth orbit by a Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket among 38 space vehicles on March 22, 2021.

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