Session
Technical Poster Session II
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
This paper describes the first steps toward the implementation of a dedicated rendezvous payload on-board computer for the Active Debris Removal mission ClearSpace-1.
Challenges of ADR missions lay in their ability to first detect and track a target, then perform proximity operation and capture. It implies a variety of sensors which are needed for the Guidance, Navigation and Control of the spacecraft. Sensor outputs need to be processed to retrieve position and attitude estimation of the target, then results are transmitted to the GNC algorithms for precise navigation. To obtain accurate target information, the algorithms require a high input data rate and multiple sensor sources.
The EPFL Space Center and the start-up ClearSpace are working on a dedicated payload computer for their ADR mission. The mission will use a standard satellite bus developed for Earth observation and combine it with another on-board computer for all the tasks specific to the mission. The current testbench setup has the satellite bus physical processor board connected through SpaceWire and Ethernet to a simulator and a payload computer prototype. By implementing a Hardware-In-the-Loop setup, the team is able to assess various configurations for the satellite.
Dedicated On-Board Computer for Active Debris Removal Mission
Utah State University, Logan, UT
This paper describes the first steps toward the implementation of a dedicated rendezvous payload on-board computer for the Active Debris Removal mission ClearSpace-1.
Challenges of ADR missions lay in their ability to first detect and track a target, then perform proximity operation and capture. It implies a variety of sensors which are needed for the Guidance, Navigation and Control of the spacecraft. Sensor outputs need to be processed to retrieve position and attitude estimation of the target, then results are transmitted to the GNC algorithms for precise navigation. To obtain accurate target information, the algorithms require a high input data rate and multiple sensor sources.
The EPFL Space Center and the start-up ClearSpace are working on a dedicated payload computer for their ADR mission. The mission will use a standard satellite bus developed for Earth observation and combine it with another on-board computer for all the tasks specific to the mission. The current testbench setup has the satellite bus physical processor board connected through SpaceWire and Ethernet to a simulator and a payload computer prototype. By implementing a Hardware-In-the-Loop setup, the team is able to assess various configurations for the satellite.
