3D sensor development to support EDL (entry, descent, and landing) for autonomous missions to Mars

Bodo Schmidt; Stewart Tuvey; Paul S. Banks

doi:10.1117/12.931665

15 October 2012 3D sensor development to support EDL (entry, descent, and landing) for autonomous missions to Mars

Bodo Schmidt, Stewart Tuvey, Paul S. Banks

Proceedings Volume 8519, Nanophotonics and Macrophotonics for Space Environments VI; 851905 (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.931665
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2012, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

TetraVue is developing a MegaPixel-class 3D camera system that uniquely addresses autonomous spacecraft requirements for a situational awareness sensor during the planetary landing phase. TetraVue's system uses a novel approach to FLASH LIDAR which utilizes existing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) focal plane arrays in a single aperture module. This makes the system flexible enough to adapt to different resolution requirements without reinventing the hardware architecture or develop new imaging sensors with custom readout circuitry. Since the system uses a nanosecond-class laser as an illumination source, similar to a strobe, the data is insensitive to any discernable cross-motion which make it ideally suitable for landing site selection during the horizontal coast phase.

Citation Download Citation

Bodo Schmidt, Stewart Tuvey, and Paul S. Banks "3D sensor development to support EDL (entry, descent, and landing) for autonomous missions to Mars", Proc. SPIE 8519, Nanophotonics and Macrophotonics for Space Environments VI, 851905 (15 October 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.931665

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