Description of the research and its impact

• The ASI's FUTURE (Fully Autonomous Feature Recognition Planetary Explorer) mission aims to perform in-orbit validation of autonomous navigation techniques based on machine learning, image processing, and on-board estimation.
• The mission will operate in low Earth orbit with the aim of validating autonomous navigation around other celestial bodies (Moon, Mars). The validation of the solution will be compared against GNSS-based orbit determination.
• The spacecraft is equipped with two visible imagers (a wide and a narrow FOV camera) and a infrared imager.
• The mission also aims to validate autonomous navigation based on observation of the lunar disk on board.

Main contributions by DAER

As part of the FUTURE Phase C/D/E1 project, DAER will perform

• Consolidated mission analysis (coverage analysis, visibility, access, compliance with zero debris regulation).
• Design, implementation, and performance analysis of the on-board state estimation algorithm through image processing.
• Validation of algorithms through hardware-in-the-loop simulations (camera + payload processing unit).

Funding body/type of contract

Italian Space Agency (ASI), subcontracted by Tyvak International.

SDGs covered:

#9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure