In an autonomous space docking system using a variable geometry truss (VGT), a docking port is controlled to a direction of a target satellite approaching with various postures and velocities. Consequently, the motion of the target has to be identified, where the target is to be measured at the position apart from the docking system. For the purpose, an image data processing system using visual sensors is best fitted. This paper is concerned with three-dimensional measurement of the position and posture of the target by using a stereo vision system. Smart cameras with optical sensors and on-chip signal processor are used for image data acquisition. The positon and posture of the satellite are determined by a stereo vision system using a database and the image data. The motion of the target is estimated by predicting its trajectory based on a single camera vision to attain a high speed image processing.
展开▼
