The delivery of the 100th hemispherical resonating gyro (HRG)-based product marks a
milestone in the evolution of Northrop Grumman exclusive HRG technology. HRG technology, first employed in the legacy space inertial reference unit (SIRU), has been incorporated into the latest scalable space inertial reference unit which now replaces the SIRU.
The Scalable SIRU is an inertial reference system that supplies critical angular rate and linear acceleration data that enables the stabilization, pointing and attitude control of satellites and space vehicles. The Scalable SIRU(tm) was instrumental in achieving
the scientific objectives of the highly successful MESSENGER and Deep
Impact program missions.'Northrop Grumman's Scalable SIRU(tm) uses the high accuracy, extremely reliable HRG gyro that combines high performance with the longest life of any inertial technology now in space,' said Gorik Hossepian, vice president of Navigation and Positioning Systems for Northrop Grumman's Navigation Systems Division. 'Its proven track record of reliability in space establishes Northrop Grumman as the premier supplier of inertial guidance system products for commercial, military and civil/scientific programs for domestic and international customers.' HRG technology was used on the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous mission, the first of NASA's Discovery missions and the first mission ever to place a spacecraft into orbit around an asteroid. HRGs in space have recently surpassed 10 million hours of operation without a single mission failure. |
