The Earth Horizon Sensor from PYXIS SPACE is a compact Earth horizon sensor designed to provide reliable nadir determination and attitude estimation for small satellite missions. By simultaneously observing the Earth's horizon in infrared and visible wavelengths, it enables accurate spacecraft orientation and supports autonomous attitude control for a wide range of orbital applications. This sensor provides attitude measurement accuracy of 1° and delivers data updates at a rate of 1 Hz, enabling dependable horizon detection and spacecraft attitude estimation.
It supports slew rates of up to 2°/s, allowing accurate operation during controlled spacecraft maneuvers. The Earth Horizon Sensor incorporates a dual-band optical system with an infrared field of view of 80° × 120° and a visible field of view of 92° × 114°, providing robust Earth detection under varying illumination conditions. It also supports a CAN 2.0B communication interface for seamless integration with spacecraft avionics and onboard control systems.
Designed for space environments, the sensor offers radiation tolerance up to 10 krad while operating from a supply voltage range of +4.5 V to +12 V. With a power consumption of only 200 mW, it provides an energy-efficient solution for power-constrained satellite platforms. Compact and lightweight, the PYXIS SPACE Earth Horizon Sensor measures 28 × 28 × 53 mm and weighs approximately 42 g, making it ideal for nadir tracking, spacecraft attitude determination, Earth observation missions and autonomous attitude control applications.
