Space Machines Company has announced its purchase of Inovor Technologies’ Star Tracker for integration into its groundbreaking Orbital Servicing Vehicle, Optimus.
The investment marks a significant milestone in advanced manufacturing collaboration within the Australian Space and Defence sector, reinforcing the nation’s sovereign capabilities and fostering space exploration innovation.
The Star Tracker, a celestial navigation system developed by Inovor Technologies, will play a pivotal role in enhancing the navigation capabilities of Optimus, which will provide transportation and other in-space services following its launch on the SpaceX Transporter-10 in early 2024. The Star Tracker relies on celestial objects, particularly stars, to precisely determine the spacecraft’s orientation in space.
Dr Matthew Tetlow, Founder & CEO of Inovor Technologies, reinforced the in-house manufacturing capabilities saying, “We are thrilled to announce the integration of our Star Tracker into Optimus. This partnership exemplifies our dedication to fostering advanced manufacturing capabilities within Australia and showcases the synergy between leading local companies in this industry.”
“Our Star tracker’s high-precision, low-power attitude sensor designed and manufactured in-house provides unparalleled accuracy by precisely determining the spacecraft’s orientation. It provides fully autonomous attitude determination in a compact form factor.”
Rajat Kulshrestha, Space Machines Company Co-Founder and CEO, said: “This partnership marks an important moment for the advancement of Australia’s space industry. Working closely with leading local space pioneers like Inovor Technologies will not only generate world-leading space exploration technologies driven by enhanced accuracy and a reliable navigation system but will facilitate a new standard for local collaboration that defines the future of Australia’s space industry.
