Plug-and-Play (PnP) Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Enabling Technology for Small Satellites

Great strides are being made toward a standardized Spacecraft PnP Avionics (SPA) protocol and, at the same time, Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) technologies are being developed and exploited by small uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs). The integration of the PnP capability with the MEMS technologies, implemented at lower costs while being designed for use in the space environment, will move the spacecraft component industry toward supporting the next generation of small, highly capable satellites. Microcosm, in conjunction with MilliSensor Systems and Actuators, Inc. (MSSA) and HRP Systems, is creating a PnP MEMS Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for spacecraft applications that will ultimately have performance comparable to today’s mid-range IMUs, such as Northrop Grumman’s LN-200. The combination of low cost, low mass, low power, and high performance expected from the PnP MEMS IMU is enabling technology for accurate pointing knowledge and control for the next generation of small satellites. This paper will address the state of the technology development to date for the PnP MEMS IMU, as well as presenting an estimate of the performance that is anticipated in future design iterations