Nano Star Trackers (NST)
Blue Canyon Technologies
Blue Canyon Technologies' Nano Star Trackers (NST) are low SWaP-C attitude sensors offering lost-in-space star identification with flight-proven heritage.
Typed specifications45 values
Discloses 10 of 12 fields engineers filter by in this category (category median 8).
- Accuracy, cross-boresight
- 6 arcsec Gen 2, cross-boresight, 1-sigma · datasheet p.2 15 arcsec Gen 2, slewing cross-boresight @ 1 deg/sec, 1-sigma | 40 arcsec | 1 arcsec | 10 arcsec +2
- Mass
- 350 g datasheet p.2
- Accuracy, about boresight (roll)
- 40 arcsec Gen 2, about-boresight, 1-sigma · datasheet p.2 200 arcsec Gen 2, slewing about-boresight @ 1 deg/sec, 1-sigma
- Envelope (L×W×H)
- 10 x 5.5 x 5 cm datasheet p.2 17 x 8.5 x 7 cm | 25 x 10 x 10 cm
- Update rate
- 5 Hz Solution rate · datasheet p.2
- Max tracking rate
- 1 °/s slewing about-boresight accuracy (Gen 2) · datasheet p.2 1 °/s slewing cross-boresight accuracy (Gen 2) | 2 °/s min · Max slew rate > 2 deg/sec
- Sun exclusion angle
- 45 ° baffle sun exclusion angle · datasheet p.2 45 ° Standard NST baffle
- Field of view
- 10 ° 10 x 12 deg · datasheet p.2
- Lost-in-space acquisition time
- 4 s max · Lost-in-space star identification < 4 sec (up to 1.5 deg/sec) · datasheet p.2
- Supply voltage
- 5 V nom. · 5 V or 28 V · datasheet p.2 5 V | 28 V | 28 V nom. · 5 V or 28 V
- Power consumption
- 3.5 W PEAK (28 V) · datasheet p.2 1.5 W PEAK (5 V) | 1.5 W max · peak, < 1.5 W (5 V) | 3.5 W max · peak, < 3.5 W (28 V) | 3.5 W max · peak, 28 V +1
- Data interface
- RS-485 datasheet p.2 RS-422
- Operating temperature
- -20–50 °C datasheet p.2
- Configuration
- single unit include internal control electronics · datasheet p.1
- Limiting star magnitude
- 7.5 Mv Tracks stars down to 7.5 magnitude · datasheet p.1
- Survival temperature
- -30–70 °C datasheet p.2
- Flight heritage
- Nearly 650 flight star trackers manufactured, more than 350 launched; longest mission launched in 2016 with the CYGNSS satellite; longest unit on-orbit 8 years; cumulative 725 years on-orbit datasheet p.1
- Missions flown
- 650 datasheet p.1 290 Total confirmed units launched | 350 min · launched more than 350 (nearly 650 flight star trackers manuf… | 350 | 290
- Baffle
- integrated Standard NST; external baffles on mid-extension and full-exte… · datasheet p.1
- Earth exclusion angle
- 27 ° Standard NST baffle · datasheet p.2
Each value is typed with its unit and measurement condition and cites the datasheet page it was taken from. Nothing is guessed: a field that is absent here has not been published by the manufacturer. machine-extracted ✓ checked by NewSpace Market ✓ manufacturer confirmed by the manufacturer.
As published by the supplier14 lines, in the manufacturer's own wording
- Standard nst - mass
- 0.35 kg
- Standard nst - dimensions
- 10 x 5 x 5.5 cm
- Standard nst - accuracy cross-boresight
- 6 arcsec
- Standard nst - accuracy about-boresight
- 40 arcsec
- Mid-extension nst - mass
- 0.45 kg
- Mid-extension nst - dimensions
- 17 x 8.5 x 7 cm
- Mid-extension nst - accuracy cross-boresight
- 1 arcsec
- Mid-extension nst - accuracy about-boresight
- 10 arcsec
- Full extension nst - mass
- 0.85 kg
- Full extension nst - dimensions
- 25 x 10 x 10 cm
- Full extension nst - accuracy cross-boresight
- 1 arcsec
- Full extension nst - accuracy about-boresight
- 10 arcsec
- Manufactured
- 960
- Launched
- 390
About
Blue Canyon’s Nano Star Trackers (NST) are a family of low size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) star tracker sensors designed for spacecraft attitude determination. They feature lost-in-space star identification capability, meaning they can determine spacecraft attitude without prior knowledge of orientation. The units offer a user-friendly RS-422 or RS-485 communication interface for integration with spacecraft avionics. The NST product line has proven flight heritage on demanding missions and is EMI/EMC tested to MIL-STD-461 as well as shock test qualified, ensuring robustness for the space environment. The family includes three configurations to suit different mission accuracy and size requirements: the Standard NST, a compact unit measuring 10 x 5 x 5.5 cm and weighing 0.35 kg with cross-boresight accuracy of 6 arcsec and about-boresight accuracy of 40 arcsec; the Mid-Extension NST, measuring 17 x 8.5 x 7 cm and weighing 0.45 kg with improved cross-boresight accuracy of 1 arcsec and about-boresight accuracy of 10 arcsec; and the Full Extension NST, measuring 25 x 10 x 10 cm and weighing 0.85 kg, also achieving 1 arcsec cross-boresight and 10 arcsec about-boresight accuracy. As of the product page, 960 units have been manufactured and 390 have been launched, demonstrating significant flight heritage across the NST family.
Documentation
Need the full ICD, test reports or a specific revision? Ask the supplier directly.