ESA GNC Conference Papers Repository

In the early 2000s, AIRBUS Defence and Space (formerly ASTRIUM) in collaboration with a French SME, IXSPACE, has developed, with CNES and ESA support, a family of inertial reference units (IRU) for a large range of space applications. These fully European products, called "ASTRIX®", are based on solid-state FOG technology. They have demonstrated excellent results and robustness in orbit has been confirmed. On PLEAIDES Earth observation satellites, ASTRIX200 products are demonstrating outstanding inertial performances. AIRBUS DS and IXSPACE, taking benefit of ASTRIX success, have developed a new family of ASTRIX products called ASTRIX1000 series. They take benefit of all advantages of the FOG technology for space applications, in particular low noise, high resolution, high reliability, no life limited items and low power. ASTRIX1000 unit is a compact single box non-redundant unit implementing 3 orthogonal gyroscopic axes and (in option) 3 accelerometric axes. ASTRIX1090 units are particularly dedicated to mid-level performance applications such as Telecom platforms and will be implemented on Airbus DS Eurostar E3000 platform. ASTRIX1120 units are very similar to ASTRIX1090 but intended for higher performance applications. While first ASTRIX generation design was performance driven, the objective of this new family is to provide cost effective solutions for satellites, cruise vehicles and lander modules while still proposing medium to high inertial performances. ASTRIX1090 product is right now completing it qualification campaign: measured performances on EQM fit with predictions and confirm the product high potential. This paper, after a brief presentation of the ASTRIX products and their in-orbit heritage, gives an overview of the ASTRIX1090 definition, associated innovations and their implementation. Then the paper details results observed on ASTRIX1090 EQM during its qualification.