Navigation is becoming more and more of a challenge for spacecraft, operating outside the Earth's orbit, where GPS coverage weakens. Northrop Grumman adapts technology, developed for the James Webb Space Telescope, into a smaller navigation system, aimed at medium-sized satellites.
The defense contractor reported, that developed a navigation system for spacecraft called LR-450, which allows the vehicle to calculate its position, movement
and orientation without the use of external signals, such as GPS. The LR-450 was designed primarily as a commercial grade inertial measurement unit, designed to support precise guidance and control of spacecraft. The system can also support applications, designed to complement or back up traditional positioning systems, navigation and time synchronization (PNT). At the heart of the LR-450 is a miniature hemispherical resonant gyroscope (mHRG) - sensor, which measures rotation and orientation with high precision. Variants of this technology have historically been used in strategic missiles, submarines and high-class spacecraft, where stability and reliability are critical.
According to Northrop, size, the weight and power consumption of the LR-450 has been reduced enough to do so, to pack the technology into a smaller modular unit, suitable for satellites,
which operate from Earth orbit to deep space. The new navigation system weighs close to 4,5 kg and consumes less 15 watts of power. Its unit is designed as a modular sensor system, which customers can integrate into various spacecraft platforms without the need for redesign. Although LR-450 was not designed specifically for alternative PNT groups, it can support additional navigation architectures, aimed at reducing dependence on GPS.
Source: https://spacenews.com