Ray Trace Ranging
- Paper number
IAC-06-C1.2.05
- Author
Mr. Nuno Hagenfeldt, Institute for Systems and Robotics, Germany
- Coauthor
Dr. João Sequeira, Portugal
- Year
2006
- Abstract
The work covers an alternative method for the determination of the relative position/attitude between two rigid bodies. The motivation for this study comes from the current need of a technology for formation robotic/spacecraft control applications offering resolutions that comply with demanding requirements such as those in the ESA Darwin program. State-of-art technology used nowadays is based in pseudolite and LIDAR metrology systems, which enable coarse determination or high-resolution measurements (at the cost of opto-mechanical complexity), respectively. Conversely, the method covered in this work allows medium resolution metrology with a low complexity system. The ESA Darwin project was the major motivation for this work, with preliminary design and prototyping accomplished so far. The subject may be regarded as related to Attitude control, sensors and actuator and/or Mission and constellation design.
The proposed principle of operation, named here as “ray trace ranging”, is also based on light emission and detection, but in this case the light emission is mounted on a first body and the detection is mounted on a second body. In such configuration, the ranging measurements are not based on the light travel time or carrier phase shift, but on the light ray trace incidence position (at the detector surface). The system uses lasers beams as light rays and position sensitive light detectors (PSD), offering beam incidence position data that is processed in real time for relative position/attitude determination.
Simulations show that a micrometer and arc minute resolutions system may be attained, although having some limitations related to its operational range and errors due to misalignments. The optimal use is assumed to be in synergy with other wide range coarse sensors, and designed for fine control of body formations with defined set of position/attitude configurations, such as a deep space telescopes formation.
A baseline design and analysis is included in the work, defining the principles of operation, algorithms, simulations and hardware design (sensor prototype model). The last was implemented and tested for characterization and as proof of concept. The results obtained so far (experimental data from prototype inserted into Monte Carlo analyses) indicate that medium-resolution metrology specifications can be attained with sub-millimetre resolution (standard deviation) for the three position degrees of freedom.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-C1.2.05.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.