OREANDA-NEWS. A star sensor developed and manufactured by a German company Jena-Optronik GmbH has been already delivered to Academician M.F. Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems.

The Astro APS star tracker is intended to determine a satellite’s attitude in space corresponding to the position of certain stars. In accordance with the cooperation agreement which was signed between the Reshetnev Company and Jena-Optronik GmbH in summer 2011 at the International Paris Airshow Le Bourget, the new instrument will be integrated on one of the Glonass-M navigation satellites. Astro APS performance data obtained during the satellite’s mission in orbit will enable the instrument to prove its performance capabilities.

Once the satellite is launched and deployed in orbit, ISS-Reshetnev’s team will gather and analyze the instrument’s performance data and then submit it to the manufacturer. Decision regarding the possibility of using Jena-Optronik equipment in ISS-Reshetnev’s next satellite programs will be made on the basis of the Astro APS performance feedback.