The "Astrix 1090" fibre-optic gyro (FOG) inertial reference unit has been certified as "space-qualified" in an internal review by the Electronics Business Line of Airbus Defence and Space.

The new FOG has already been baselined by two prime GEO telecom satellite contractors, and the first orders have been confirmed after successful qualification.

The Astrix 1090 is an evolution of the Astrix 120 and Astrix 200, which are already in use with 10 different Satellites Primes worldwide and thus have a significant flight heritage.

This latest edition complements the Astrix FOG product line, which supplies data at a highly accurate rotation rate while keeping noise levels extremely low - features that are crucial for space systems stabilisation and satellite pointing and attitude control.

The 3-axis Astrix 1090 is specifically designed and certified for long-duration missions, is highly reliable and has a power-on lifetime that exceeds 15 years. It can be used on satellites big and small thanks to its modest volume and a power consumption of just 14 Watts.

"Astrix 1090 is a very competitive solution for demanding missions, be they commercial, civil or military. And, thanks to the fact that we have already prepared production ramp-up, we are able to offer our customers rapid delivery to accommodate for short platform integration schedules," said Jean-Pierre Domenget, Head of the Space Platform Electronics unit at Airbus Defence and Space.