Challenges of Pose Estimation for Future OOS Missions

Abstract

With an increase of launching more new satellites into space in the last decade, there is also a need for a more careful monitoring and maintenance of space environment. Space debris present a very critical problem since more often the evasive maneuvers are needed by operational satellites and other spacecrafts in order to avoid the collision. At German Aerospace Center we do research in the field of On-Orbit Servicing (OOS) and Active Debris Removal (ADR). In these terms, different activities can be planned for these missions, e.g. repairing, modernization or lifetime extension of a satellite. In case of no more functioning satellite or remains of rocket body, complete deorbiting of that objects is considered. Any of these activities needs a safe approach of the servicer spacecraft towards the space object. In the close-range approaches, the autonomous systems rely on visual navigation with cameras and/or lidars for estimation of position and orientation of a non-cooperative target. Developing of reliable flight-ready pose estimation techniques for such systems is a challenging task. Plenty of external factors and conditions affect the performance of the pose estimation algorithms. In this talk I am going to discuss difficulties and challenges appeared during development and testing pose estimation technique.