Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

Christopher M Pong

Sungyung Lim

Matthew W Smith

Sara Seager

Shawn Murphy

David W Miller

An optical system for use in an Earth-orbiting satellite includes a plurality of image sensors disposed on a focal plane having a reference axis orthogonal thereto, optics configured to focus incident light onto the image sensors, a piezoelectric actuator coupled to the image sensors and configured to translate the image sensors in at least two axes each orthogonal to the reference axis, and at least one controller operably coupled to the plurality of image sensors and the piezoelectric actuator. The image sensors are configured to generate at least one image frame from light detected by the plurality of image sensors, the image frame including a target star and at least one guide star. The controller is configured to stabilize the position of the target star by adjusting the position of the piezoelectric actuator based on the changes in the position of the guide star.

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Kaneohe, HI, United States of America

Christopher M Pong