Title: Vision-based control for on-orbit servicing

Authors: Benoit P. Larouche

Addresses: Space Engineering Design Laboratory, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada

Abstract: Vision-based control provides a flexible and adaptable sensor system capable of high levels of precision and accuracy over a large range of situations. The ability to mount a lightweight, low-cost, lower-power, non-destructive, no-contact sensor on a robotic manipulator and to employ it as a the sole sensor between acquisition and capture provides a vast field of opportunities in which on-orbit servicing can be a leader. In this paper, we will examine the use of just such a system during the most critical phase of on-orbit servicing, the capture.

Keywords: vision based control; space robotics; autonomous robots; spacecraft servicing; satellite robots; satellite capture; satellite servicing; on-orbit servicing; robot sensors; robotic manipulators; robot kinematics; vision based guidance; robot guidance; robot control; photogrammetry; target capture; non-cooperative targets; dynamic digital damping; visual compensation; weighted capture criteria.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSPACESE.2013.051770

International Journal of Space Science and Engineering, 2013 Vol.1 No.1, pp.96 - 111

Received: 30 Oct 2012
Accepted: 30 Oct 2012
Published online: 30 Apr 2014 *

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