ESA GNC Conference Papers Repository

This paper presents a CMOS image sensor targeting Attitude and Orbit Control Systems (AOCS). The proposed image sensor is being developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency as a next generation to ON Semiconductors’ STAR250, STAR1000 and HAS2 products. The HAS3 is being developed in a 0.18 um CMOS process to bring the latest advances in pixel and imager technology to the field of High Accuracy Star Trackers and will be evaluated in accordance with the ESCC-9020 specification. The image array consists of 1280 x 1280 pixels in an 11x11 ?m2 pitch and is designed to be radiation tolerant. The sensor is capable of capturing full resolution frames at 10fps in both rolling and global shutter modes while consuming only 185 mW. The on-chip A/D conversion is accomplished by column-parallel 12-bit A/D converters. The oversampling architecture offers exceptional tolerance to noise, power supply disturbances and single events. Targeted peak QE is >45%. A dark temporal noise of 30 e- can be achieved over a FWC of 70 Ke- resulting in a dynamic range of 68 dB. The sensor data interface is based on LVDS while the external control interface gives the user access to all relevant internal controls to have full flexibility and secure reliable operation during space flights.