ASTER Labs

ASTER Labs, Inc. (Advanced Space TEchnology Research) is a US-based space technology research and development company founded circa 2005 by Dr. Suneel I. Sheikh, Ph.D., CEO and Chief Research Scientist. The company operates at the intersection of academic research and commercial development, specializing in spacecraft navigation, satellite systems, and advanced aerospace technologies.

ASTER Labs is known for its research on deep space navigation using X-ray pulsar timing — an emerging alternative to radio-based navigation for missions beyond GPS coverage. The company also develops MATLAB-based analysis tools for orbit visualization, attitude determination, and GPS satellite visibility prediction, as well as CubeSat nanosatellite systems and payloads.

The company's engineering services span concept and prototype development, navigation technology integration, spacecraft systems operation, sensor development (inertial measurement units and medical sensors), and custom software development in MATLAB, Python, Ada, C/C++, and Fortran. Customers range from government agencies and defense organizations to universities and private technology companies.