Deep-Space Optical Navigation Exploiting Multiple Beacons

Abstract

Ground facilities relying on traditional radiometric tracking are reaching saturation due to the growth of satellites launched into space. As such, autonomous navigation is one of the main enabling technologies for sustainable deep-space missions. This paper tackles the deep-space optical navigation problem exploiting multiple beacons to estimate the observer position independently from ground. The paper derives the least-squares solution and the analytical covariance to the deep-space navigation problem exploiting multiple beacons. The perturbations in the line-of-sight directions as well as in the objects ephemeris are incorporated into the covariance formulation. Then, the geometrical interpretation of the perturbations models, the navigation solution, and the navigation covariance are elaborated. The sensitivity of the navigation accuracy to the number of beacons is assessed by virtue of a test case, showing the correspondence between the numerical and the analytical solutions. Eventually, the paper shows the comparison of the navigation accuracy exploiting multiple beacons against two optimal beacons.

Hardware-In-the-Loop Validation of Autonomous Interplanetary Navigation Algorithms for Interplanetary Cruises with the Optical Star Stimulator

“…Since the celestial bodies light falls within a single pixel of the image, the only exploitable information to estimate autonomously the probe state onboard are the LoS directions. If the LoS directions of two or more reference beacons are simultaneously available, they can be adopted to statically triangulate the probe position [8,29]. However, if only one reference beacon is visible, a dynamic estimation method is required.…”

Absolute Triangulation Algorithms for Space Exploration

“…which is true in any consistent frame. Solving the triangulation problem by finding the unknown ranges {𝜌 𝑖 } 𝑛 𝑖=1 has been suggested within the context of spacecraft navigation by a number or authors [8,11,84].…”

“…Point localization using a collection of LOS measurements (or angles) is generically referred to as triangulation [for the specific application of spacecraft navigation this is also sometimes called "angles-only" optical navigation (OPNAV)]. In recent years, there has been substantial interest in the utility of triangulation methods for spacecraft localization in cislunar space using sightings of other well-known satellites [6,7] or for interplanetary exploration using sightings of asteroids/planets [7][8][9][10][11]. The concepts of triangulation, however, apply to a much broader class of spaceflight navigation problems.…”

Application of Pulsar-Based Navigation for Deep-Space CubeSats

“…Autonomous navigation in deep space has been proposed through optical methods [2]. Celestial triangulation exploits the line-of-sight measurements to distant planets [3], which are used as navigation beacons in order to determine the observer's position.…”