Honeywell unveils new space-based MEMS rate sensor to deliver high-performance satellite navigation

     Honeywell has unveiled a new rate sensor, the HG4934, specifically designed to help small satellites navigate increasingly crowded orbits on the Earth's surface. New products based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) will achieve lower cost and power consumption in a smaller size while maintaining a high level of performance, making them ideal for manufacturing smaller, lower-cost small satellite customers.

     Honeywell's MEMS-based HG4934 Space rate sensor measures just 145 grams and is roughly the size and weight of a baseball. It uses about one-fifth the power of Honeywell's current products, is more than 32 times lighter and 60 times smaller. It is also more tolerant to radiation, a key attribute for space applications, and incorporates Honeywell's best-in-class sensor technology.

     "With this new sensor, our customers can build small, low-cost satellites that have the same capability and reliability as traditional satellites, while allowing them to deploy new satellite technologies such as 5G telecommunications or high-bandwidth global Internet." "In addition, the number of satellites will only keep increasing, which will lead to more crowded orbits," said Mike Elias, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Space. It is critical that our satellite customers have high-precision navigation solutions to help prevent collisions that could deorbit a functioning satellite."

     A space rate sensor, sometimes referred to as an Inertial Reference Unit (IRU), is a type of inertial sensor - primarily composed of three gyroscopes that work together to sense the rotation rate. They determine how the rotational attitude of an aircraft or spacecraft changes over time and can help the aircraft or spacecraft move from one position to another without using any external information. The Space rate sensor can also serve as a backup solution to provide additional redundancy in the event of a failure of other navigation systems.

     Celestial navigation options, such as star trackers, are a mainstream way to get the direction of satellites and spacecraft. This form of navigation uses angular measurements between space objects (stars, planets, etc.) and the horizon to calculate position. However, sometimes these chasers are obscured by the sun or affected by thruster gases. In this case, Honeywell's HG4934 Space rate sensor can be used as an auxiliary method for attitude determination.