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Session D3: Space Navigation and Observation

LiDAR-Based Autonomous Landing on Asteroids: Algorithms, Prototyping and End-to-End Testing with a UAV-Based Satellite Emulator
Max Hofacker, Harvey Gómez Martínez, Martin Seidl, Universität der Bundeswehr München; Fran Domazetovic, Department of Geography, University of Zadar; Larissa Balestrero Machado, Thomas Pany, Roger Förstner, Universität der Bundeswehr München
Location: Cypress
Date/Time: Wednesday, Apr. 26, 9:43 a.m.

Abstract—This paper presents an UAV emulation system allowing early hardware-in-the-loop testing for Terrain-Relative-Navigation (TRN) and autonomous guidance algorithm development in context of spacecraft landing on asteroids. The capabilities of this system are shown within the scope of an flight campaign in which a Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) only odometry navigation, hazard detection and avoidance system was implemented and tested. Furthermore, a special focus on a new asteroid analogue environment is given. The implemented TRN algorithms are based on the result of an Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm and the adopted use of LiDAR range measurements as altimeter source. A Linear Kalman Filter (LKF) performs the necessary sensor fusion taking into account spacecraft control and asteroid environment forces. The TRN system is inspired by the NASA’s MAVeN (minimal augmented state algorithm for vision-based navigation) algorithm used as TRN algorithm on the Mars UAV Ingenuity [24].
Index Terms—Terrain Relative Navigation, UAV, LiDAR, asteroid

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