A Spacecraft Visual Navigation Algorithm based on Mode Constraints

Bin Hua, Yunhua Wu, Xiong Zhi, Chun Jiang

Abstract:	The most important applications of monocular visual navigation in aerospace are spacecraft ground calibration tests and spacecraft relative navigation. Regardless of the attitude calibration for ground turntable or the relative navigation between two spacecraft, four non-collinear feature points are usually required to achieve attitude estimation. In this paper, a visual navigation system based on the minimum number of feature points is designed to deal with faulty or unidentified feature points. An iterative algorithm, based on mode constraints visual navigation algorithm with no pattern constrains, is also proposed. The simulation results show that the attitude calculation of the visual navigation system designed in this paper can converge rapidly. With no faults in the feature points, the system can provide an attitude accuracy of 0.04 degrees. If three feature points can be identified, the attitude accuracy will be better than 0.1 degrees. The method outlined in this paper improves the robustness of the visual navigation of spacecraft.
Published in:	Proceedings of IEEE/ION PLANS 2016 April 11 - 14, 2016 Hyatt Regency Hotel Savannah, GA
Pages:	330 - 335
Cite this article:	Hua, Bin, Wu, Yunhua, Zhi, Xiong, Jiang, Chun, "A Spacecraft Visual Navigation Algorithm based on Mode Constraints," Proceedings of IEEE/ION PLANS 2016, Savannah, GA, April 2016, pp. 330-335. https://doi.org/10.1109/PLANS.2016.7479717
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