Autonomous Satellite Rendezvous and Docking Using LIDAR and Model Based Vision

ABSTRACT Servicing satellites on-orbit requires ability to rendezvous and dock by an unmanned spacecraft with no or minimumhuman input. Novel imaging sensors and computer vision technologies are required to detect a target spacecraft at adistance of several kilometers and to guide the approaching spacecraft to contact. Current optical systems operate atmuch shorter distances, provide only bearing and range towards the target, or rely on visual targets.Emergence of novel LIDAR technologies and computer vision algorithms will lead to a new generation of rendezvousand docking systems in the near future. Such systems will be capable of autonomously detecting a target satellite at adistance of a fewkilometers, estimating itsbearing,rangeand relative orientation under virtuallyanyillumination, and inanysatellitepose.At MDA Space Missions we have developed a proof-of-concept vision system that uses a scanning LIDAR to estimatepose of a known satellite. First, the vision system detects a target satellite, and estimates itsbearing andrange. Next, thesystem estimates the full pose of the satellite using a 3Dmodel. Finally, the system tracks satellite pose with highaccuracy and updaterate. Estimated pose provides information where the docking port is located even if the port is notvisible and enables selecting more efficient flight trajectory.The proof-of-concept vision system hasbeen integrated with a commercial time-of-flight LIDAR and tested using amoving scaled satellitereplica in the MDA Vision TestbedKeywords : LIDAR, model based vision, pose estimation, satelliterendezvous and docking