VIBANASS (VIsion BAsed NAvigation Sensor System) System Test Results

Future Active Debris Removal missions will require vision sensors both to support guidance, navigation and control and to examine the targeted debris object prior to capture. With this scenario in mind, Kayser-Threde has developed the VIsion BAsed NAvigation Sensor System (VIBANASS). A demonstrator model representative of the flight hardware was built for execution of a space qualification program and subjected to an extensive test campaign at the European Proximity Operations Simulator (EPOS). It was shown that VIBANASS is able to perform its tasks reliably in vision-based Rendezvous and Docking maneuvers under a wide variety of illumination conditions. These tests included image processing algorithms for target distance evaluation and a closed-loop rendezvous experiment.