Multi-sensor terrain classification for safe spacecraft landing

A novel multi-sensor information fusion methodology for intelligent terrain classification is presented. The focus of this research is to analyze safety characteristics of the terrain using imagery data obtained by on-board sensors during spacecraft descent. This information can be used to enable the spacecraft to land safely on a planetary surface. The focus of our approach is on robust terrain analysis and information fusion in which the terrain is analyzed using multiple sensors and the extracted terrain characteristics are combined to select safe landing sites for touchdown. The novelty of this method is the incorporation of the T-Hazard Map, a multi-valued map representing the risk associated with landing on a planetary surface. The fusion method is explained in detail in this paper and computer simulation results are presented to validate the approach.     

Autonomous GPS/INS navigation experiment for space transfer vehicle

An experiment is described to validate the concept of developing an autonomous integrated spacecraft navigation system using onboard Global Positioning System (GPS) and inertial navigation system (INS) measurements. Previous work by the authors (1988, 1990) has demonstrated the feasibility of integrating GPS measurements with INS measurements to provide a total improvement in spacecraft navigation performance, i.e., improvement in position, velocity and attitude information. An important aspect of this research is the automatic real-time reconfiguration capability of the system, which is designed to respond to changes in a spacecraft mission under the control of an expert system     

基于极限学习机的黑障区智能导航算法

在黑障区飞行阶段中,惯性导航系统会因缺少辅助导航系统而持续累积误差,导致飞行器导航系统可靠性下降。针对这一问题,提出了一种新的基于极限学习机的黑障区智能导航算法,通过极限学习机(ELM)对GPS正常工作的导航信息进行学习。在黑障区,利用学习得到的模型对惯性导航系统进行误差补偿,较好地修正了当GPS失锁时惯性导航系统的误差,避免了因误差累积而导致的导航信息发散。仿真结果表明,该算法能够保证在GPS失锁的黑障区中导航系统输出的信息有较好的可靠性和精度,能够为接下来的姿态调整和着陆准备提供良好的基础。     

Autonomous navigation and guidance for landing on asteroids

This paper presents an autonomous landing navigation and guidance scheme for future asteroid sample return mission. An autonomous navigation scheme based on feature tracking technology is brought out firstly; secondly, desired descent landing trajectories with the initial and terminal constraints are planned in order to achieve arrive-at-time landing on an asteroid; then, two guidance control laws, based on error phase analysis method and PD plus PWPF method respectively, are designed to track reference descent trajectory; finally, the validity of the proposed scheme is confirmed by computer simulation.     

Optical guidance for autonomous landing of spacecraft

An autonomous rendezvous guidance scheme for spacecraft to descend to small celestial bodies by using optical information is presented. First, a new guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) method based on fixation-point (FP) inheritance is proposed. A spacecraft can safely descend toward the target point on the celestial body by tracking and autonomously renewing the FPs on the surface. Next, we deal with the method of extracting the FPs. A spatial band-pass filter (BPF) is applied to pictures taken to enhance features having comparable size with the tracking window. Local variance of the filtered image is used as a criterion of the extraction. Then, the relative information between the spacecraft and the celestial body (position, velocity, attitude, etc.) is calculated from the image coordinates and the range measurements of the FPs from the spacecraft. To suppress observation noise and improve navigation accuracy, an application of the extended Kalman filter is also presented. Finally, simulations are conducted to verify the guidance precision and the fuel consumption of the proposed guidance scheme     

基于3D Zernike矩的巡检器与空间站的相对导航算法

针对航天器相对导航问题,以空间站表面为"特殊地形",提出一种基于大型航天器表面巡检的相对导航算法。首先,运用巡检飞行器上的TOF （Time of Flight）相机测量空间站表面局部点云数据,以该点云数据为实时图,以空间站表面先验点云数据为基准图。然后,利用3D Zernike矩与三维地形间的一一对应关系,将三维地形匹配转化为基于3D Zernike矩的特征向量匹配。在此基础上求解实时图与匹配上的基准图间的相对位置、相对姿态,从而确定两航天器间的相对导航参数,并通过实验分析了匹配精度及速度的主要影响因素。最后,将该相对导航参数与惯性系统推算的相对导航参数在扩展卡尔曼滤波器的框架下实现信息融合,估计了巡检飞行器与空间站间的相对位置、相对姿态,实验结果表明,相对位置精度优于0.002 m,相对姿态精度优于0.1°。     

无人机自动着陆中的机器视觉辅助技术

设计了一套辅助无人机自动着陆的机器视觉系统。该系统由机载硬件设备和用户开发软件共同组成,用以完成数字图像处理任务和无人机运动参数估计任务。系统传感器包括一个单目摄像机和机载惯性陀螺;数字图像处理使用的主要算法有图像的轮廓提取、角点检测和模版匹配。基于角点处各个方向上灰度差变化较大的特征,依据最小核值相似(SUSAN)算法和角点几何结构分析,提出一种改进的角点特征提取算法;根据任务开发的位置参数估计算法依据摄像机透视投影理论,运用摄像机成像标定方法导出了一种高精度的位置测量模型。通过计算机仿真表明,所提出的计算机视觉位置参数估计算法可以达到无人机着陆过程的精度要求。     

High accuracy navigation and landing system using GPS/IMU systemintegration

In this paper, the accuracy, integrity and continuity of function requirements for automatic landing systems using satellite navigation systems are discussed. Such a landing system is the integrated navigation and landing system (INLS) developed by Deutsche Aerospace (DASA/Ulm, Germany). The system concepts of the INLS are presented. It is shown how an INLS, based on system integration of a satellite navigation system (e.g., GPS) in realtime differential mode with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) in the accuracy class of an attitude and heading reference system (AHRS), can meet the requirements: the results given are mainly devoted to the accuracy issues. Using Kalman filter techniques, an in-flight calibration of the IMU is performed. The advantage of system integration, especially in dynamic flight conditions and during phases of flight with satellite masking, is explained. The accuracy, integrity and continuity of function of the INLS were proven by means of flight tests in a commuter aircraft using a laser tracker as a reference. These flight tests have shown that the short-term accuracy (<60 seconds) of the AHRS used within the INLS has been improved from low cost sensor quality to the accuracy of a high quality laser inertial navigation system (LNIS). With the presented INLS, a landing at any airfield, not equipped with conventional Instrument Landing System (ILS) or Microwave Landing System (MLS), is possible by using a very cost effective system. The INLS is a high accuracy navigation and landing system designed to be used instead of conventional landing systems at small airfields and to fill operational gaps of conventional navigation and landing systems in cruise and approach on large airports     

着陆小行星的视线测量自主光学相对导航算法及其可观性分析

 以软着陆小行星为工程应用背景,提出了基于视线(LOS)测量的自主光学相对导航算法,并对导航算法的可观性进行了比较深入的分析研究。首先,基于透视投影模型的共线方程,给出了导航测量方程和测量敏感矩阵;接着,通过多个视线矢量的测量,应用高斯最小二乘微分修正(GLSDC)和龙贝格-马尔塔(LM)算法对探测器的位置和姿态参数进行了估计。然后,通过对误差方差阵逆矩阵秩的分析,比较详尽地分析了不同数量视线观测条件下导航算法的可观度和可观性。最后,通过数学仿真对所提出的自主导航算法的可行性进行了验证。     

Fiber-optic gyros and quartz accelerometers for motion control

In article the opportunity of use strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) on the base of fiber-optic gyroscopes and quartz accelerometers corrected from star sensors and satellite navigation equipment (SNE) for perspective interplanetary spacecrafts motion control on phases of interplanetary trajectory insertion, trajectory correction, and braking during transition to Mars orbit is investigated. Results of onboard control complex accuracy characteristics estimation are presented at the given dynamic spacecraft scheme which is taking into account the liquid oscillations in tanks and structure elements elasticity. At modelling the errors of measuring devices installation, errors of SINS initial alignment and instrumental errors of SINS sensitive elements, variation of control engines parameters were taken into account. The structure of the developed complex of imitation modelling of interplanetary spacecraft controlled motion is resulted. Estimations of active flight legs realization accuracy were received by a method of statistical modelling of spacecraft controlled motion     

弹道导弹天文/惯性导航误差修正方法研究

通过分析导弹天文导航和惯性导航的导航原理和误差模型,在基于充分利用高精度天文导航参数的思想上,提出了组合导航的误差修正方法。首先对两种导航参数进行了归算,而后提出了利用多次的天文测量参数对惯性测量误差进行修正的方法。该方法能较为准确地分离出引起射程误差较大的关机点速度、位置等的误差值,从而为实现利用天文导航进行射程误差修正提供前提条件。仿真计算表明,该方法是行之有效的。     

基于卫星和星敏感器的冗余激光惯组在轨标定

采用高精度卫星导航速度、位置信息以及星敏感器提供的姿态信息设计十表冗余捷联惯组的标定模型,包含陀螺和加速度计的零次项和标度因数,对卫星和星敏感器辅助的冗余激光陀螺捷联惯组进行实时在轨标定.利用标准Kalman滤波和Sage-Husa自适应滤波作为估计算法,对十表冗余捷联惯组参数进行在线估计.数值仿真结果表明:参数标定精度均在7％以内,是一种实时的在轨标定方法,满足误差补偿要求.冗余惯组在轨标定方法为航天器高精度定姿和定轨提供了一种理论参考.     

Application of nonlinear filtering to navigation system designusing passive sensors

The problem of navigation system design for autonomous aircraft landing is addressed. New nonlinear filter structures are introduced to estimate the position and velocity of an aircraft with respect to a possibly moving landing site, such as a naval vessel, based on measurements provided by airborne vision and inertial sensors. By exploring the geometry of the navigation problem, the navigation filter dynamics are cast in the framework of linear parametrically varying systems (LPVs). Using this set-up, filter performance and stability are studied in an H_∞ setting by resorting to the theory of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The design of nonlinear, regionally stable filters to meet adequate H_∞ performance measures is thus converted into that of determining the feasibility of a related set of LMIs and finding a solution to them, if it exists. This is done by using-widely available numerical tools that borrow from convex optimization techniques. The mathematical framework that is required for integrated vision/inertial navigation system design is developed and a design example for an air vehicle landing on an aircraft carrier is detailed     

一种基于外推信息的惯导/陆基单站导航修正方案

提出了一种基于外推信息的陆基单站测距信息惯导修正方案,该方案一方面利用陆基测距系统融合捷联惯导系统（SINS）的导航信息进行惯导误差修正,充分发挥惯导系统和陆基导航系统各自的优点,进行系统间的取长补短,有效地减小导航误差;另一方面将陆基/SINS修正结果送入状态估计器求解法向速度,解算实时载体轨迹的待修正量,进而执行载体速度和方向修正,进一步提高了导弹命中精度。     

航天器惯性及其组合导航技术发展现状

航天器是在地球大气层以外运动的飞行器,也包括部分从宇宙空间返回地球的飞行器。在航天器的飞行过程中,惯性敏感器是实现航天器姿态确定、速度变化测量的关键敏感器之一。随着航天器任务的不断扩展,航天器对惯性器件的使用日趋复杂,高精度定姿、惯性导航、组合导航等技术在应用深度和广度上不断发展。以此为背景,对航天器惯性技术的发展脉络进行了全面的梳理和总结,包括惯性技术的使用方式、技术现状以及未来发展等几个方面的内容。     

Kalman Filter Design Considerations for Space-Stable Inertial Navigation Systems

Terrestrial inertial navigation is typically performed using an instrumented platform stabilized in a ?local-level? configuration for convenient generation of geographic navigation information. The local-level geographic reference must be maintained by torquing the system gyros, a requirement which may be incompatible with high-precision inertial sensors currently under development. Gyro torquing in a gimballed navigation system can be avoided by employing a ?space-stable? mechanization of the platform where an inertial, rather than geographic, reference is used for navigation calculations. The software design problems associated with this concept, especially those related to the application of Kalman filtering, are the principle focus of this paper. Although the space-stable configuration has been used extensively for spacecraft navigation and guidance, it has not been widely applied to terrestrial navigation, either for air or marine applications. The chief problem in this application is to perform navigation in local-level coordinates, using system outputs generated in an inertial reference frame. It can be demonstrated that, although the navigation system error dynamics are identical for the local-level and space-stable configurations, the dynamics of the sensor errors which drive these systems are quite different. These differences in sensor error propagation characteristics impose new requirements for the design of procedures to accomplish system calibration, alignment, and reset. This paper outlines a Kalman filtering approach which is applicable to all of the above procedures, and presents numerical results to demonstrate its effectiveness.     

Data mining as a foundation for science-enabling autonomy

In-situ exploration by spacecraft and planetary rovers will increasingly require knowledge "on demand" in the future as downlinlk constraints limit the amount of information that can be transmitted from these platforms back to Earth. Several on-board processing methods have the potential to significantly enhance scientific results in these settings. They include automatic detection Of natural satellites of planetary bodies, investigation of possible surface motions on planets and planetary moons, and directed acquisition Of scientific data by planetary rovers. The key ingpredient in all three cases is the need to process scientific data directly on-board, so that information can be rapidly provided to an automated spacecraft ex~ecutive and/or to ground-based Principal Inesiators (pis). We discuss, herein, recent developments in data mining technology that were designed initially for ground-based scientific data analysis. We then outline how these ideas can be migrated to on-board platforms to dramatically enhance the scientific capabilities of autonomous spacecraft.     

卫星-惯性-星光最优组合导航系统在航天飞机导航中的应用

 文中对航天飞机星光-惯性导航系统进行了简要分析从最优系统组成原理、余度管理方法、系统性能分析等方面研究了卫星-惯性-星光组合导航系统的概念设计。     

A dimension reduced INS/VNS integrated navigation method for planetary rovers

Inertial navigation system/visual navigation system (INS/VNS) integrated navigation is a commonly used autonomous navigation method for planetary rovers. Since visual measurements are related to the previous and current state vectors (position and attitude) of planetary rovers, the performance of the Kalman filter (KF) will be challenged by the time-correlation problem. A state augmentation method, which augments the previous state value to the state vector, is commonly used when dealing with this problem. However, the augmenting of state dimensions will result in an increase in computation load. In this paper, a state dimension reduced INS/VNS integrated nav-igation method based on coordinates of feature points is presented that utilizes the information obtained through INS/VNS integrated navigation at a previous moment to overcome the time rel-evance problem and reduce the dimensions of the state vector. Equations of extended Kalman filter (EKF) are used to demonstrate the equivalence of calculated results between the proposed method and traditional state augmented methods. Results of simulation and experimentation indicate that this method has less computational load but similar accuracy when compared with traditional methods.     

Onboard trajectory equipment measurements

In past years, the onboard trajectory measurements complex (OTMC) was found in flight tests of flight vehicles (FV). The quick-release small-sized complex makes registration of the information of onboard systems, definition of trajectory parameters of FV, the information synchronization of onboard systems, and trajectory parameters. OTMC is used for the solution of the whole set of different tasks on estimation of the characteristics of FV and its onboard equipment. With the help OTMC in flight tests there solved the tasks of estimation: operation and accuracy characteristics of air navigation computing systems, inertial navigational systems, integrated navigational systems; SNS receivers, landing radio engineering systems, accuracy of flights under the standard takeoff patterns and landing, take-off and landing characteristics, accuracy characteristics of radars, corrections of high-altitude, fast-track parameters, systems of early warning of ground proximity etc