APPLICATION OF A VIDEOGRAMMETRY SYSTEM BASED ON MICRO-CAMERAS FOR HERSCHEL SPACECRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING

摘要

The Mechanical Systems Department at ESTEC has recently started the production of the operational hardware of a miniaturised videogrammetry system for metrology applications in thermal-vacuum conditions. The system is based on a set of space qualified micro-cameras, integrating them with the so called 'multi-station' concept. The aim is the application of the system for measuring the thermo-structural distortions of the Flight Model (FM) of the Herschel spacecraft during the thermal-balance/thermal-vacuum (TB/TV) tests in the ESTEC Large Space Simulator planned in 2006. The results of the prototype qualification at ambient conditions have been presented at the 21st Aerospace Testing Seminar during the last quarter of 2003. This paper will report on the results of the qualification testing of the prototype performed in a thermal-vacuum chamber at ESTEC. The design of the operational hardware will be described. The latest status of simulations and details of the preparatory activities and of the mechanical implementation requirements for the Herschel spacecraft testing will also be presented.