Orbital Situational Awareness using Infrared Cameras

"The key objective of this project will be to conduct a feasibility study into the development of algorithms that will be able to generate positional information in all 6 degrees of freedom from data generated by the Neptec UK (NUK) space qualified IR Camera.

NUK will use their Space IR Camera and Simulator in order to demonstrate the technology being developed by NUK and Oxford University Active Vision Group. We also plan a basic hardware demonstration to test the feasibility of the technology.

The innovation in this study resides in the identification and tracking of non-cooperative targets by a cost-effective, low mass, volume and power solution.

The main markets for this technology will be Orbital Debris Removal and Satellite Servicing which are two key activities that will play a major role in making the skies safe by removing orbiting debris from space and the future maintenance of satellites. Both of these activities require a high degree of Robotics Artificial Intelligence (RAI) in order to autonomously control the movement of a chase vehicle up to a target satellite/debris and guide a grappling device to accurately capture the satellite/debris."