Image navigation and navigation equipment for rendezvous and docking

摘要

PPROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image navigation for a rendezvous docking and navigation device allowing a non-cooperative target satellite having no special marker launched in the past to effectively navigate at rendezvous docking (RVD) by moving a service satellite so as to approach a place, as a target, having an annular satellite-common structure such as a satellite frame part of a target satellite and corresponding to an object portion to be docked. PSOLUTION: Image of the target satellite 2 is picked up including the satellite frame part 21 by the service satellite 1, relative distance between the service satellite 1 and the target satellite 2 is measured, relative position of the satellite frame part 21 for the service satellite 1 is calculated, and the satellite frame part 21 in the picked up image is recognized as at least either an ellipse or a circular arc. Thereby, relative attitude of the satellite frame part 21 for the service satellite 1 is calculated, and the service satellite 1 is moved so as for the satellite frame part 21 in the picked up image to be close to a circle on the basis of the calculated relative position and relative attitude. PCOPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO