Starberry-Sense

Star sensor

• Any satellite needs to know where it is pointed in space, and the instrument used for this purpose is called a star sensor. 
• The position of stars in the sky is fixed relative to each other and can be used as a stable reference frame to calculate the orientation of a satellite in orbit. 
• This is done by correctly identifying the stars in the sky towards which the star sensor is pointed. The star sensor is essentially a celestial compass.

 SmallSats

• Small spacecraft (SmallSats) focus on spacecraft with a mass of fewer than 180 kilograms and about the size of a large kitchen fridge.  
• Even with small spacecraft, there is a large variety of sizes and masses that can be differentiated.

CubeSats

• They are a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. 
• The cube-shaped satellites are approximately four inches long, have a volume of about one quart, and weigh about 3 pounds
• The development of CubeSats has advanced into its own industry with government, industry, and academia collaborating for ever-increasing capabilities.  
• They now provide a cost-effective platform for science investigations, new technology demonstrations, and advanced mission concepts using constellations, and swarms disaggregated systems.
• In recent years CubeSats and small satellite missions have gained huge popularity. These missions utilize commercially available components for their design and development,