American manned spacecraft have used visual piloting techniques in the terminal phase of randezvous during the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle programs. In the last several years, space- shuttle astronauts have used the Rendezvous and Proximity Operations Program (RPOP), running; on a laptop computer, as a guidance and navigation aid during proximity operations. By processing measurements to the target satellite taken by a laser sensor, RPOP provides the shuttle crew with a more accurate relative position and velocity than from any other source. The inclusion of guidance algorithms allows RPOP to determine delta-velocities to fly very efficient, repeatable trajectories. This paper will focus on the guidance and navigation algorithms in RPOP, as well as results from simulation and flight. Although developed for shuttle proximity operations, the RPOP algorithms have potential applicability to an automated vehicle.


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    Title :

    Laser-Based Relative Navigation and Guidance for Space Shuttle Proximity Operations


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Guidance and Control 2003: Advances in the Astronautical Sciences ; 2003 ; Breckenridge, CO, United States



    Publication date :

    2003-01-01



    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English