SINPLEX is an innovative, very compact, multipurpose and self-standing highly integrated suite of
instruments designed for Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) applications. The GNC
applications for which SINPLEX has been designed for is the support throughout various
navigation phases, from space travel to rendez-vous and landing, to spacecrafts and their robotic
landers. The system can be tailored to also fit applications such as Active Debris Removal (ADR).
SINPLEX in its full redundant configuration exhibits a mass of 4.8 kg, a volume of
170 x 210 x 200 mm3, and a power consumption of 32 W. The instrument is packed with redundant
sets of Star Trackers (STR), Navigation Cameras (NAVCam), Inertial Measurement Units (IMU)
and Laser Altimeters (LA). The two Navigation Cameras have a partly overlapping field of view to
enable stereoscopic observations. The combination of these sensors provides reliable, robust and
high frequency information on the relative position and attitude to enable spacecraft timely and
well-informed attitude and orbit actuation.
SINPLEX is a research and development project funded by the European Commission (7th
Framework Programme, project no. 284433) and has been developed by a consortium of European
entities, comprising of DLR from Germany, TNO, cosine and SystematIC from The Netherlands
and ÅAC Microtec AB from Sweden
