Ark Light 1 brings three optical functions into one CubeSat design. It is being integrated in the lab and has not flown yet.
The design uses stars as a reference to estimate orientation.
The design compares images to distinguish movement from the star background.
Extending the baffle changes the design's view to study a nearby target.
Conceptual exploration of the optical design.
In a traditional mission, attitude determination, watching for space debris and docking with another vehicle require different cameras and equipment: more cost, more mass and more power. Our instrument runs all three algorithms in parallel, on a flight computer with a real-time operating system.
It solves on its own what is called the «lost in space» problem: knowing nothing beforehand, it photographs the sky, recognizes the stars and calculates its orientation.
Between two consecutive photos the stars do not move, but debris and satellites do. The instrument subtracts one photo from the other, cleans up what is left over and keeps what moves: its position, heading and speed.
The baffle does more than block light. Extending it moves the optics and changes the focal length: the same sensor goes from watching more than 20 degrees of sky to a close view of the vehicle it is about to dock with.
The flight computer, the sensor, the optics and the telescopic baffle, piece by piece.
Illustration · Design proposal
A fixed baffle takes up valuable volume at launch. Ours travels stowed, less than 50 mm long, and extends once it reaches orbit.
It blocks stray light in orbit without taking space from the CubeSat payload: 0.13 dm³ stowed and 0.28 dm³ deployed.
A dual circuit cuts a wire by heat and spring-loaded guides push each segment into place.
Teflon bushings keep the metal parts from cold-welding in vacuum, so it works after months in orbit.
Stowed for launch · 0.13 dm³
For preliminary design reviews, integration proposals or whatever your mission needs, talk to the engineering team at Alba Space.
