A 1U satellite with a camera at each end.
Our 1U is a small technology demonstrator: a star camera looking up, an Earth-observation camera looking down, and just enough spacecraft around them to fly both. It is at the concept-design stage.
What is inside the 1U.
The concept design as of September 2026. Deployer fit, power, attitude simulation and final hardware selection are still open.
- Two cameras
- A star camera on the top deck looks toward zenith, and an Earth-observation camera on the bottom deck looks toward nadir. Both use the same camera hardware.
- Magnetic attitude control
- Magnetorquer rods on three axes. The baseline has no reaction wheels, so pointing is coarse; the star camera supplies the attitude knowledge.
- Power
- Body-mounted solar panels, with an option for two deployable wings of two hinged leaves each, feeding a maximum-power-point tracker, a charger and a protected battery.
- Communications
- A UHF radio with a deployable antenna for telemetry, commands and images.
- Computing
- A safety flight computer and a shared image processor.
- Mission
- Occasional Earth images, and a flight demonstration of the star camera on a real spacecraft.
From folded cube to full array.
Folded, up close and inside.
The simplest way to fly the star camera.
A 1U is the smallest standard CubeSat. It is enough to show the star camera solving attitude on a real spacecraft in orbit, and the Earth camera on the opposite deck makes the same flight return pictures.
We are also studying two upgrades: magnetorquer coils built into the body-panel circuit boards, and small reaction wheels built on flat PCB motors. Wheels would turn coarse magnetic pointing into full three-axis control.
Where the 1U is today.
- September 2026
1U concept design
Two cameras on opposite decks, magnetorquer control and an optional winged solar array.
In design - October 2026
Stratos-2
Validates the star camera, intelligent imaging and passive radiative cooling technologies.
Upcoming
1U FAQ
Does the 1U have reaction wheels?
Not in the baseline. It uses magnetorquers on three axes. Small PCB-motor reaction wheels are under study as an upgrade.
What is the 1U for?
Demonstrating the star camera in orbit and taking occasional Earth images. For regular imaging, see the 3U.
Can I order one?
It is at the concept-design stage. Talk to us about your mission and timing.
Plan a mission with us.
Tell us what you want to demonstrate or image.