Review of the robustness and applicability of monocular pose estimation systems for relative navigation with an uncooperative spacecraft

Review of the robustness and applicability of monocular pose estimation systems for relative navigation with an uncooperative spacecraft

Pasqualetto Cassinis, L. (TU Delft Space Systems Egineering)
Fonod, R. (TU Delft Space Systems Egineering)
Gill, E.K.A. (TU Delft Space Engineering)

Space Engineering

2019

The relative pose estimation of an inactive target by an active servicer spacecraft is a critical task in the design of current and planned space missions, due to its relevance for close-proximity operations, i.e. the rendezvous with a space debris and/or in-orbit servicing. Pose estimation systems based solely on a monocular camera are recently becoming an attractive alternative to systems based on active sensors or stereo cameras, due to their reduced mass, power consumption and system complexity. In this framework, a review of the robustness and applicability of monocular systems for the pose estimation of an uncooperative spacecraft is provided. Special focus is put on the advantages of multispectral monocular systems as well as on the improved robustness of novel image processing schemes and pose estimation solvers. The limitations and drawbacks of the validation of current pose estimation schemes with synthetic images are further discussed, together with the critical trade-offs for the selection of visual-based navigation filters. The state-of-the-art techniques are analyzed in order to provide an insight into the limitations involved under adverse illumination and orbit scenarios, high image contrast, background noise, and low signal-to-noise ratio, which characterize actual space imagery, and which could jeopardize the image processing algorithms and affect the pose estimation accuracy as well as the navigation filter's robustness. Specifically, a comparative assessment of current solutions is given at different levels of the pose estimation process, in order to bring a novel and broad perspective as compared to previous works.

Active debris removal
Image processing
In-orbit servicing
Monocular cameras
Relative pose estimation
Visual-based navigation filters

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:8da08da3-208c-41ea-bcab-6788d4c289f5

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paerosci.2019.05.008

2020-06-15

0376-0421

Progress in Aerospace Sciences, 110

Institutional Repository

review

© 2019 L. Pasqualetto Cassinis, R. Fonod, E.K.A. Gill