Learn
Guides to precision on small satellites.
How satellites know where they are pointing, why their pictures blur, and what it takes to plan, build and fly a CubeSat. Written by the engineers building our star camera and satellite buses in Bengaluru.
Pointing and imaging
How a satellite sees sharply.
How satellite star trackers workFrom a picture of the sky to a spacecraft attitude, and why fast slews break it.→How a CubeSat pointsMagnetorquers, reaction wheels and the B-dot law, and why they work best together.→Why satellite images blurSlew, jitter and motion smear: where blur comes from and the ways to remove it.→Ground sampling distance calculatorThe GSD formula, a calculator, and why GSD is not the same as resolution.→
Planning a mission
From size to launch.
CubeSat sizes and dimensionsOuter dimensions and mass limits from 1U to 12U, and how to choose a size.→Satellite payload vs busWhat each half of a satellite does, and which half decides your image quality.→How much does a CubeSat cost?The six budgets, what launch costs today, and the costs teams forget.→ITAR vs EAR for satellite partsWhich US export rules apply to satellites and star trackers, and what ITAR-free means.→High-altitude balloon testingWhat the stratosphere can prove about a payload, and a design checklist from our flights.→