Enrico Lorenzini | Searcharxiv

arXiv2022

Experimental Evaluation of Pose Initialization Methods for Relative Navigation Between Non-Cooperative Satellites

In this work, we have analyzed the problem of relative pose initialization between two satellites: a chaser and a non-cooperating target. The analysis has been targeted to two close-range methods based on a monocular camera system: the Sharma-Ventura-D'Amico (SVD) method and the silhouette matching method. Both methods are based on a priori knowledge of the target geometry, but neither fiducial markers nor a priori range measurements or state information are needed. The tests were carried out using a 2U CubeSat mock-up as target attached to a motorized rotary stage to simulate its relative motion with respect to the chaser camera. A motion capture system was used as a reference instrument that provides the fiducial relative motion between the two mock-ups and allows to evaluate the performances of the initialization algorithms analyzed.

cs.RO↗

arXiv2017

Sun-Earth Lagrange reference for fundamental physics and navigation

The use of four Lagrange points of the Sun/Earth system for fundamental physics experiments in space is presented. L1, L2, L4 and L5 rotating rigidly together with the Earth form a natural reference frame at the scale of the inner solar system. The idea which is discussed in the paper considers the possibility of locating four spacecraft in the four cited Lagrange points and exchanging electromagnetic pulses among them. Including stations on earth, various closed paths for the pulses are possible. Time of flight measurements would be performed. The time of flight difference between right- and left-handed circuits is proportional to the angular momentum of the Sun and the detection of the effect would reach accuracies better than 1% depending on the accuracy of the clock. The four points could also be used as "artificial pulsars" for a relativistic positioning system at the scale of the solar system. Additional interesting possibilities include detection of a galactic gravito-magnetic field and also, using a global configuration as a zero area Sagnac contour, detection of gravitational waves. More opportunities are also mentioned.

gr-qc↗