August 24, 2023

SUAI scientists have created a distributed navigation system for microsatellites

The development will make it possible to monitor the Earth's surface more efficiently and to organize operational communication systems in a better way

The system uses an optical method for determining the relative position of satellites in a group. The accuracy and speed of the work make it possible to solve the tasks of navigation and flight control of satellites in real time. The main feature of the development are the optical markers (infrared LEDs) on the body of the device, which are detected by video cameras of neighboring satellites. To increase the recognition range, you need to place LEDs on retractable elements such as solar panels and radio antennas. This will increase the spatial base between the markers. Controlled modulation of LED operating modes and optimization of the width of the angular aperture of radiation are used to identify individual LEDs.

– The advantage of the system is the autonomy and high speed of work. We use new digital technologies to control onboard equipment – the technical vision, which helps to process images from video cameras on neighboring microsatellites, – said Nikolay Mayorov, director of the Institute of Aerospace Instruments and Systems of SUAI.