Characterization of 3-D imaging lidar for hazard avoidance and autonomous landing on the Moon

Pierrottet, Diego F.; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Meadows, B.; Estes, Robert; Noe, Anna

doi:10.1117/12.724768

Cited by 21 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…In August 2007, the LAPS team had the opportunity to perform static tests of the lidar unit in a landing sensor capacity using the Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Detection Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) target located at the NASA Langley Research Center [17]. The ALHAT Sensor Test Range (STR) consists of a three-dimensional calibrated test target located 250 meters from the sensor platform.…”

Section: Static Testing Using the Alhat Targetmentioning

confidence: 99%

Full-scale testing and platform stabilization of a scanning lidar system for planetary landing

et al. 2008

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In August 2007, the engineering model of the Rendezvous Lidar System (RLS) was tested at the Sensor Test Range Facility that has been developed at NASA Langley Research Center for the calibration and characterization of 3-D imaging sensors. The three-dimensional test pattern used in this characterization is suitable for an empirical verification of the resolving capability of a lidar for both mid-range terminal rendezvous and hazard avoidance landing. The results of the RLS lidar measurements are reported and compared with image frames generated by a lidar simulator with an Effective Instantaneous Field of View (EIFOV) consistent with the actual scanning time-of-flight lidar specifications. These full-scale tests demonstrated the resolving capability of the lidar under static testing conditions. In landing operations, even though the lidar has a very short exposure time on a per-pulse basis, the dynamic motion of a lander spacecraft with respect to the landing site will cause pulse-to-pulse imaging distortion. MDA, Optech, and NGC Aerospace have teamed together to resolve this issue using motion compensation (platform stabilization) and motion correction (platform residual correction) techniques. Platform stabilization permits images with homogenous density to be generated so that no safe landing sites will be missed; platform residual errors that are not prevented by this stabilization are then corrected in the measurement data prior to map generation. The results of recent developments in platform stabilization and motion correction are reported and discussed in the context of total imaging error budget.

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Section: Static Testing Using the Alhat Targetmentioning

confidence: 99%

Full-scale testing and platform stabilization of a scanning lidar system for planetary landing

et al. 2008

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“…The capabilities of the Flash Lidar technology for autonomous safe landing application have been investigated through a series of static and dynamic experiments at the NASA-LaRC sensor test range, and from helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft platforms [2][3][4] . All the Flash Lidar experiments to date have been based on the 3-D Imaging camera technology developed by Advanced Scientific Concepts (ASC) 5 .…”

Section: -Dimensional Imaging Flash Lidarmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lidar systems for precision navigation and safe landing on planetary bodies

et al. 2011

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The ability of lidar technology to provide three-dimensional elevation maps of the terrain, high precision distance to the ground, and approach velocity can enable safe landing of robotic and manned vehicles with a high degree of precision. Currently, NASA is developing novel lidar sensors aimed at needs of future planetary landing missions. These lidar sensors are a 3-Dimensional Imaging Flash Lidar, a Doppler Lidar, and a Laser Altimeter. The Flash Lidar is capable of generating elevation maps of the terrain that indicate hazardous features such as rocks, craters, and steep slopes. The elevation maps collected during the approach phase of a landing vehicle, at about 1 km above the ground, can be used to determine the most suitable safe landing site. The Doppler Lidar provides highly accurate ground relative velocity and distance data allowing for precision navigation to the landing site. Our Doppler lidar utilizes three laser beams pointed to different directions to measure line of sight velocities and ranges to the ground from altitudes of over 2 km. Throughout the landing trajectory starting at altitudes of about 20 km, the Laser Altimeter can provide very accurate ground relative altitude measurements that are used to improve the vehicle position knowledge obtained from the vehicle navigation system. At altitudes from approximately 15 km to 10 km, either the Laser Altimeter or the Flash Lidar can be used to generate contour maps of the terrain, identifying known surface features such as craters, to perform Terrain relative Navigation thus further reducing the vehicle's relative position error. This paper describes the operational capabilities of each lidar sensor and provides a status of their development.

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“…The sensor test range includes a target board with diffuse surfaces of known reflection coefficients and different size panels at a 250 meter range [10]. A photograph of the STR is shown in figure 4 for reference.…”

Section: Sample Data Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linear FMCW Laser Radar for Precision Range and Vector Velocity Measurements

et al. 2008

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An all fiber linear frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) coherent laser radar system is under development with a goal to aide NASA's new Space Exploration initiative for manned and robotic missions to the Moon and Mars. By employing a combination of optical heterodyne and linear frequency modulation techniques [1][2][3] and utilizing state-of-the-art fiber optic technologies, highly efficient, compact and reliable laser radar suitable for operation in a space environment is being developed. Linear FMCW lidar has the capability of high-resolution range measurements, and when configured into a multi-channel receiver system it has the capability of obtaining high precision horizontal and vertical velocity measurements. Precision range and vector velocity data are beneficial to navigating planetary landing pods to the preselected site and achieving autonomous, safe soft-landing.The all-fiber coherent laser radar has several important advantages over more conventional pulsed laser altimeters or range finders. One of the advantages of the coherent laser radar is its ability to measure directly the platform velocity by extracting the Doppler shift generated from the motion, as opposed to time of flight range finders where terrain features such as hills, cliffs, or slopes add error to the velocity measurement. Doppler measurements are about two orders of magnitude more accurate than the velocity estimates obtained by pulsed laser altimeters [4]. In addition, most of the components of the device are efficient and reliable commercial off-the-shelf fiber optic telecommunication components. This paper discusses the design and performance of a second-generation brassboard system under development at NASA Langley Research Center as part of the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance (ALHAT) project.

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Characterization of 3-D imaging lidar for hazard avoidance and autonomous landing on the Moon

Cited by 21 publications

References 1 publication

Full-scale testing and platform stabilization of a scanning lidar system for planetary landing

Full-scale testing and platform stabilization of a scanning lidar system for planetary landing

Lidar systems for precision navigation and safe landing on planetary bodies

Linear FMCW Laser Radar for Precision Range and Vector Velocity Measurements

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