MSS-01, 02

Space Micro celebrates its 13-year anniversary in 2015 and continues to support the Space Industry with innovative, affordable and high-performance Digital/Image Processing, RF Communication and Attitude Determination Sensor Products.

Space Micro’s Medium Sun Sensor is a low cost, two axis, medium-resolution sun sensor with >20 years of cumulative flight heritage. They are designed to provide attitude determination information during various mission modes including launch vehicle separation, initial attitude acquisition, emergencies and off-nominal modes. They can also provide coarse sun vector determination as a backup to higher resolution sensors.

The medium sun sensor, which draws no power (completely passive) is comprised of a small housing containing a diode assembly with four individual quadrants. Calibration data is provided with the sensor, to be store on the satellite computer for computing sun angle from four signal outputs. The sensor housing also serves as the aperture, reducing mechanical complexity and precisely masking solar light.

Our Medium Sun Sensors have flown successfully on several different spacecraft, including ALEXIS, HETE, TERRIERS and FASTSAT, and are compatible with virtually all launch environments.