The DASH unit is currently flying on the TOPSAT
satellite (Figure 1). TopSat was built by Surrey Satellite
Technology, LTD for the UK Ministry of Defence and the
British National Space Center and launched into orbit in
October 2005. It has since become one of SSTL’s
premier imaging satellites claiming the best resolution of
per mass of any imaging satellite.
The DASH is the primary attitude determination device
on this satellite. A similar set of sensors were built and
delivered to the Canadian Space Agency but have not
been launched.
A variation of the DASH unit but with only one sensing element is under production for the
Orbcomm Program with a total of 38 units being delivered.