On August 17, 2026, optical design and manufacturing specialist Resolve Optics announced the availability of custom-designed, space-qualified lens assemblies engineered for high-precision satellite star tracker systems.
The specialized optical systems focus starlight onto image sensors to enable satellite attitude determination, position tracking, and bearing control across geostationary orbit (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) environments.
The product release addresses optical degradation risks caused by space environment factors, including cosmic radiation, vacuum conditions, and thermal swings.
Optical Engineering Specifications and Radiation Resistance
Star tracker optical systems combine custom lens element geometries, focal length calibration, and specialized mechanical housings to prevent image distortion, blurring, and chromatic aberration. Distorted star images reduce sensor measurement accuracy, impairing the spacecraft attitude and orbit control system (AOCS).
The optical architecture builds upon design principles previously established across Resolve Optics’ radiation-resistant space lenses, utilizing cerium-doped radiation-resistant glass formulations to prevent optical browning caused by long-term exposure to high-energy solar particle events and cosmic rays. The lens assemblies feature passive mechanical athermalization to maintain precise focus across temperature variations ranging from -54°C to +85°C, while utilizing low-outgassing structural materials certified for high-vacuum orbital operations.
“Not only should Star Tracker optics be robust to withstand the stress of space launch – they must also be lightweight and highly resilient to the radiation, wide temperature variation and vacuum conditions experienced in geostationary space orbit,” stated Rob Watkinson, Sales Manager at Resolve Optics. “Drawing upon our extensive expertise in design and supply of space ready optics we can develop optical solutions to exactly match even the most demanding application.“
Manufacturing Readiness and Custom Design Integration
Drawing upon 15 years of flight heritage supplying spaceborne lenses, Resolve Optics provides complete OEM design, modulation transfer function (MTF) testing, and shock and vibration qualification for commercial satellite developers, defense prime contractors, and international space agencies. Custom star tracker lens assemblies are manufactured to order at the company’s facility in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, with tailored mounting interfaces for standard CMOS and CCD image sensor formats.
