Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - ARGO (Highly accurate, flexible, robust and scalable multicamera system for spacecraft autonomousattitude determination through low cost cameras)

Teaser

\"The ARGO project addresses the sector of Spacecraft Attitude Determination from star measurements which is a critical element of the Attitude and Orbit Control System (AOCS) for any spacecraft. Nowadays the need of high accuracy for demanding satellite missions is achievable...

Summary

\"The ARGO project addresses the sector of Spacecraft Attitude Determination from star measurements which is a critical element of the Attitude and Orbit Control System (AOCS) for any spacecraft. Nowadays the need of high accuracy for demanding satellite missions is achievable through high-quality star trackers, but high costs and lack of flexibility are still a gap to overcome for covering the needs of emerging space markets, like the ones related to low mass and size satellites, called SmallSats (differentiated by mass in categories such as mini, micro, and nano satellites).
The Consortium, composed by two high tech Italian SMEs (EICAS Automazione, working in spacecraft attitude determination since the 1980s and TYVAK International, a start-up founded in 2015 by dynamic entrepreneurs with strong aerospace industry backgrounds and extensive experience in developing, producing and operating SmallSats) intend to pave the way towards next generation star tracker systems by proposing a disruptive innovation for this sector: ARGO, an innovative multicamera system for spacecraft autonomous attitude determination by means of star observation, able to offer high flexibility, robustness, accuracy, scalability and significant reduction of production costs compared to products currently on the market.
The purpose of this project is to accomplish the following steps necessary for fully exploiting the ARGO potential and reaching the commercialisation stage:
• from the scientific/technical point of view, to bring the ARGO technology readiness level up to TRL9, by developing a system that is completed and \"\"flight qualified\"\" through significant tests and demonstrations, both ground and flight In-Orbit Demonstrations (IOD) - ready for post-project production and commercialisation in the SmallSats market segment,
• from the business point of view, to take the necessary actions with end-users and relevant stakeholders to accelerate and maximise the impact of the proposed disruptive innovation and to actuate the Consortium business strategy to reach the market.

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Work performed

During the third reporting period, the Consortium produced the following results:
• ARGO 1.0 F.M. (Flight Model) - qualification tests campaign (Vibe, TVAC, radiation) on ARGO 1.0 Q.M. (Qualified Model)- ARGO assessed up to TRL8 (WP6)
• ARGO 1.0 F.M. (Flight Model) hardware procurement (WP6)
• ARGO 1.0 F.M. (Flight Model) - Overall MAIT (Manufacturing, Assembly Integration and Testing) Process Rationalisation (WP6)
• ARGO 1.0 E.M. and F.M. (Flight Model) - on ground calibration procedures (WP5)
• ARGO 1.0 F.M. (Flight Model) - acceptance tests campaign (Vibe, TVAC) (WP6)
• ARGO 1.0 F.M. (Flight Model) User Manual (WP6)
• IOD Mission Preparation (WP5/WP6)
• Additional user needs and Advisory Board involvement (WP7)
• Dissemination Plan, Dissemination Material, Dissemination and Communication Actions (WP7)
• Review of Consortium strategy to fully maximise the overall business opportunities (WP7)

Final results

Currently the “accurate and time invariant” cameras for star observation are the first item of expenditure in star trackers, while ARGO reaches equal or better performance making use of cameras without specific metrological characteristics. So we claim to pave the way towards next-generation star tracker systems, featuring flexibility for different application fields, higher measure precision, robustness, longer operative life and a significant reduction of production cost. The expected final outcome is 1) to directly produce and commercialise ARGO 1.0 in the emerging SmallSats market and 2) to establish strategic alliances (e.g. with large EU star tracker producers) to catch the overall market&business opportunities, especially, to spread ARGO innovation also in the medium/large Sats market.

Website & more info

More info: http://www.argo-aads.eu.