Star Tracker Installation Strategy And Visibility Analysis for ELITE Mission in VLEO

The Extremely Low-earth Imaging and Technology Explorer (ELITE) developed by Singapore represents a significant milestone in modern satellite technology by targeting the Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). This paper suggests a 30-degree installation angle relative to the inertia X-axis for the ELITE to optimize general performance. This strategy guarantees that the number of visible stars is always over 5 at any time. Besides, it also allows objects to operate with a smaller size in space and suffer from less cross-section area. Thus, it ensures accurate attitude determination for the ELITE mission, such as Time Delay Integration (TDI) imaging operations. Meanwhile, this strategy also allows the ELITE to avoid interference from bright bodies, including the Sun, Earth, and Moon. These findings contribute to the advancement of star tracker technology by confirming their validity at the suggested angle, thereby enhancing the accuracy and reliability of space missions. It builds up a foundation and advances the performance of star trackers applied for space missions, emphasizing the need for precision and reliability.