In 2011, ORBITEC (Orbital Technologies Corporation) developed the first light-emitting diode (LED) system for use as running lights on spacecraft. Currently, Cygnus spacecraft, which are uncrewed vessels designed for cargo transport to the International Space Station, utilize a navigational lighting system consisting of five flashing, high-power LED lights. The Cygnus displays a flashing red light on the port side of the vessel, a flashing green on the starboard side of the vessel, as well as two flashing white lights on the top and one flashing yellow on the bottom side of the fuselage. These lights are used by the ISS Crew to visually verify the orientation and position of the spacecraft during orbital nights when rendezvous and approach are in progress. The flashing capture lights become visible to the ISS crew at distance of about one Kilometer, while the attitude lights become visible at a range of 500 meters.
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