The main goal of the IONEA project is to develop an integrated set of test & analysis tools, image processing algorithms and an instrument with 3 navigation cameras and a dedicated payload data processor to enable fully autonomous navigation in cislunar & deep space.
PROJECT DESIGNATION | IONEA – Instrumento Visual de Observação e Navegação para Exploração Autónoma |
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PROJECT CODE | POCI-01-0247-FEDER-045192 |
MAIN OBJECTIVE | IONEA aims at developing an integrated toolset (including orbital trajectory design, covariance analysis, test and validation software) as well as navigation cameras and the applicable image processing software to enable automated end-to-end optical navigation for future space missions. |
INTERVENTION REGION | Norte |
BENEFICIARIES ENTITIES | Spin.Works |
APPROVAL DATE | 11-12-2019 |
BEGIN DATE | 01-03-2020 |
CONCLUSION DATE | 28-02-2023 |
TOTAL COST | 626.336,42 EUR |
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM EU | FEDER – 395.987,98 EUR |
The IONEA activity focuses on the design, development, and testing in a representative environment (TRL5/6) of a space observation and visual navigation instrument, consisting of a high-resolution camera (small angle) and two star sensors, with the objective of enabling fully autonomous navigation for space missions.
In the context of the project, an attempt will be made to remove all fundamental technological obstacles to the construction of a miniaturized product capable of competing in the global space market, a very low-cost visual instrument (below 100k per unit) and that allows autonomous navigation (orientation and positioning) of any type of space vehicle (nano, micro and mini-satellites) in the markets with the greatest potential in the current context of the space sector (Earth observation, interplanetary navigation, and characterization of resources on the Moon and small bodies). The integrated product includes:
The integrated instrument has been built under strict SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) constraints in order to fit well within a 12-16U Cubesat: (40 x 10 x 10 cm – 4U), 5kg and 20W.
The mission design tasks used in IONEA include the trajectory design of three separate missions:
Once designed, each trajectory was analysed to investigate the navigation accuracy achievable using the previously established requirements for the cameras, on a phase-by-phase basis, in order to guide both the navigation strategy and further adjustments to the pre-determined requirements.
Two sets of cameras were developed to produce optical navigation measurements:
The star trackers produce attitude estimates throughout the mission and can also help provide lower position estimation accuracies during most phases of a mission. The star trackers can also be used for trajectory refinement when in orbit, or as absolute and relative vision navigation cameras during critical phases such as Deorbit, Descent and Landing (DDL).
On the other hand, and in order to prepare critical manoeuvres, in the vicinity of another body in deep space, and in order to keep high position knowledge whenever needed, the high resolution camera can observe planetary and small bodies against the star background (up to M=10). In cislunar space or in the proximity or another body, the high-resolution camera can also spot surface features to further refine its’ own position.
In addition to the optical intruments, a payload data processor (PDP) based on a COTS architecture (Zynq Ultrascale+) with CPU, GPU and FPGA components as well as an embedded video compression IP core was developed to simultaneously acquire, process, compress, store and forward observations from multiple cameras to extract full 6 DoF (translation and attitude) state estimates during orbital and EDL/DDL missions. This payload data processor is a precursor to an upcoming unit that is currently scheduled to fly in early 2026 in an Earth Observation constellation.
In order to operate the cameras during different mission profiles and produce the type of observables that can be used in the autonomous navigation filter, different image processing algorithms were developed:
The algorithms were implemented and hardware-accelerated in the payload data processor, enabling real-time image acquisition, processing, compression and storage, including for attitude and translational estimates from images acquired at up to 100Hz.
Each of the developed algorithms were implemented and subsequently tested under realistic conditions in order to prepare for their application in real missions.
Two different setups were deployed to test the algorithms as part of the IONEA project:
Dedicated test software tools were developed to operate the cameras under these conditions. Several laboratory and field tests were then conducted in the course of the project in order to calibrate the cameras, test procedures, verify and optimize the test software, obtain realistic image datasets and ultimatly to estimate real-world performance for the camera-algorithm suite.
In addition to the activities carried out during the execution of IONEA, the Spin.Works team has progressed towards real-world use of the cameras and algorithms as described below:
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