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SpacePNT SA, a global provider of high-accuracy, radiation-tolerant spaceborne GNSS receiver equipment for missions ranging from Earth to cislunar orbit, has completed extensive qualification testing of its second-generation product, including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum and electromagnetic compatibility tests.
The multi-frequency, multi-GNSS receiver resulted from two European Space Agency (ESA) ARTES Competitive & Growth (C&G) development projects supported by ESA and the Swiss Space Office.
The first project enabled SpacePNT to develop an industrialized second-generation product for large-scale production targeting low-Earth orbit, LEO position-navigation-timing and geostationary orbit telecommunications constellations. The receiver includes a proprietary Precise Orbit Determination algorithm that provides sub-decimeter real-time positioning and timing aboard spacecraft. The company validated the POD algorithm in a hardware-in-the-loop environment and retrofitted it into two first-generation flight models delivered to a customer for satellite integration.
Under the second project, SpacePNT developed a Radiation Hardiness Assurance approach for long-duration missions in harsh radiation environments. ESA’s GENESIS satellite mission, which will operate in a challenging medium Earth orbit environment, will be the first to use this RHA approach. SpacePNT will supply the mission’s GNSS receiver equipment.
Though the second-generation receiver uses largely the same hardware, software and firmware technology as the company’s flight-proven first-generation product, SpacePNT performed a complete qualification campaign to validate design changes.
After passing all qualification and performance tests, SpacePNT will begin manufacturing first flight models of its second-generation products for several customers. The receivers will fly on demanding Earth observation, in-orbit servicing and space exploration missions at altitudes from LEO through medium Earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit, geostationary orbit and lunar distances.
The views expressed herein do not reflect the official opinion of the European Space Agency.
