Experimental orbital rendezvous operations via visual based techniques

The use of visual devices for close proximity space operations is an usual choice, even if this technique is rarely devoted to for totally autonomous missions. Space crew or remote ground operators are the main users of the recorded images. In this paper guidance strategies, and navigation and control algorithms for an autonomous, image based docking are reported. The principal suggestion is the use of the image processing both in terms of target identification (by means of dedicated computer vision algorithms) and of relative position evaluation (via active laser illumination). An experimental, 2D tree floating platform, is used to test the proposed mission. The free flyer has two translational and one rotational degrees of freedom, plus a rotating support for the camera. This configuration is designed to increase the chaser platform robustness, while saving propellant. The maneuver has been successfully reproduced in the experimental scenario, and the main results are reported, showing the soundness of the approach. Copyright © (2012) by the International Astronautical Federation.