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Astronaut Alexander Gerst is testing an hand-held sextant on the ISS in the context of the experiment Sextant Navigation for Exploration Missions, see picture below. NASA Image: ISS056E049856 - ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst calibrates and operates the Sextant Navigation device that is testing emergency navigation methods such as stability and star sighting in microgravity for future Orion exploration missions.

What is the brand and model of the sextant?

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It is a Celestaire Astra 2.

Source: viewed image full size.

enter image description here

According to a conference paper from the 2019 the sextant is an Astra III.

The paper is HOLT, Greg N.; WOOD, Brandon A. Sextant Navigation on the International Space Station: A human space exploration demo. 42nd Annual AAS Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference, Breckenridge, CO. 2019 February 3; AAS 19-06415 pp.

The quote is:

The flight instrument was a Celestaire Astra III Professional hybrid brass/aluminum sextant, serial number 1183118.

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    $\begingroup$ According to HOLT, Greg N.; WOOD, Brandon A. Sextant Navigation on the International Space Station: A Human Space Exploration Demo. 2019. 42nd ANNUAL AAS GUIDANCE & CONTROL CONFERENCE: "The flight instrument was a Celestaire Astra III Professional hybrid brass/aluminum sextant, serial number 1183118"... even if, as you pointed out, it seems to me that the label says "ASTRA II". $\endgroup$ Nov 9, 2021 at 12:25
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    $\begingroup$ @AlessandroJacopson very interesting! Consider posting that as an answer, or editing it into this answer. That source and info deserves to be saved, and comments can go away. $\endgroup$ Nov 9, 2021 at 13:17
  • $\begingroup$ Why does it say 2 in the photo? $\endgroup$
    – Innovine
    Nov 11, 2021 at 17:09
  • $\begingroup$ @Innovine why does it say 3 in the paper? When it's clearly 2 in the real world. Maybe it's bashed together from different parts. $\endgroup$ Nov 11, 2021 at 17:17

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