Autonomous docking for a satellite pair using monocular vision

[摘要] Autonomous rendezvouz and docking is seen as an enabling technology. It allows, amongothers, the construction of larger space platforms in-orbit and also provides a means for thein-orbit servicing of space vehicles.In this thesis a docking sequence is proposed and tested in both simulation and practice.This therefore also requires the design and construction of a test platform. A model hovercraftis used to emulate the chaser satellite in a 2-dimensional plane as it moves relatively frictionlessly.The hovercraft is also equipped with a single camera (monocular vision) that is used asthe main sensor to estimate the target's pose (relative position and orientation). An imitationof a target satellite was made and equipped with light markers that are used by the chaser'scamera sensor.The position of the target's lights in the image is used to determine the target's pose using amodified version ofMalan's Extended Kalman Filter [20]. This information is then used duringthe docking sequence.This thesis successfully demonstrated the autonomous and reliable identification of the target'slights in the image, and the autonomous docking of a satellite pair using monocular cameravision in both simulation and emulation.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University