Satellite articulation characterization from an image trajectory matrix using optimization

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

9-19-2017

Abstract

Autonomous on-orbit satellite servicing and inspection benefits from an inspector satellite that can autonomously gain as much information as possible about the primary satellite. This includes performance of articulated objects such as solar arrays, antennas, and sensors. This paper presents a method of characterizing the articulation of a satellite using resolved monocular imagery. A simulated point cloud representing a nominal satellite with articulating solar panels and a complex articulating appendage is developed and projected to the image coordinates that would be seen from an inspector following a given inspection route. A method is developed to analyze the resulting image trajectory matrix. The developed method takes advantage of the fact that the route of the inspector satellite is known to assist in the segmentation of the points into different rigid bodies, the creation of the 3D point cloud, and the identification of the articulation parameters. Once the point cloud and the articulation parameters are calculated, they can be compared to the known truth. The error in the calculated point cloud is determined as well as the difference between the true workspace of the satellite and the calculated workspace. These metrics can be used to compare the quality of various inspection routes for characterizing the satellite and its articulation.

Comments

Copyright © 2017 Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference (AMOS)

The "Link to Full Text" on this page opens the paper as hosted at the AMOS website.

This was a poster presentation at AMOS 2017.

Source Publication

Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference, Maui, HI

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