Pose Estimation of an Unknown Uncooperative Target Using LiDAR & Thermal Infrared Fusion

In recent years, researchers have proposed a variety of approaches to tackle the problem of orbital debris. Debris targets are diverse, and prior knowledge may be limited, with unknown uncooperative debris targets being the most challenging category. A crucial portion of any debris capture scenario is the observation phase during the approach....

Multibody Approach to Controlled Removal of Large Space Debris with Flexible Appendages

The space environment is ever-changing with space structures getting larger and the orbits getting increasingly crowded with time. This creates a need for removal of large defunct satellites to avoid the disastrous Kessler syndrome, which poses a major threat to the future of space exploration. This research examines the dynamics and control...