HYDRA Star Tracker
Sodern
Best-in-class modular star tracker for institutional and commercial satellites: 2.8 arcsec XY precision, 245+ units launched, LEO-GEO-deep space, 1-4 optical heads, 18-year GEO lifetime.
Technical specifications
- Precision XY
- 2.8 arcsec
- Temporal Noise (XY/Z)
- 2.3 / 18 arcsec
- Acquisition Robustness
- <=6 deg/s
- Tracking Robustness
- <=8 deg/s
- Detector
- CMOS
- Optical Heads
- 1-4
- Electronic Units
- 1-2 (LEO, GEO, or TC dual-channel)
- Orbital Range
- LEO, MEO, GEO, Deep Space
- Satellite Size
- >12U
- Sun Exclusion Angle
- 26 deg
- Design Lifetime
- 10 years LEO / 18 years GEO
- Flight Heritage
- 245+ units launched, 10+ million hours in operation
About
The Sodern HYDRA is a highly modular star tracker recognized as best-in-class for institutional, scientific, telecommunications, and observation missions. The system supports 1 to 4 optical heads with 1 or 2 electronic units for redundancy, in centralized or stand-alone configurations. Three electronic unit versions are available: LEO, GEO (radiation-hardened), and TC (Two-Channel redundant). CMOS detector technology delivers 2.8 arcsec XY precision with temporal noise of 2.3/18 arcsec across/boresight. Robust acquisition at up to 6 deg/s and tracking at up to 8 deg/s. 26-degree sun exclusion angle. Over 245 units have been launched with more than 10 million hours of on-orbit operation accumulated. Suitable for all orbital regimes including deep space, with 10-year LEO and 18-year GEO design lifetime.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
