ESA GNC Conference Papers Repository

GENEVIS presents a full-software, Vision-Based Navigation (VBN) solution for precise and safe lunar landing. The outputs of two image processing algorithms, providing information on relative and absolute vehicle positioning respectively, are hybridised with inertial measurements and other platform sensors in a state-of-the-art Schmidt-Kalman filter. GENEVIS assessed the performance and robustness of the solution with extensive Monte-Carlo simulations based on validated sensor models. The solution was optimised and implemented in real-time on a GR740 platform which demonstrated its schedulability. Finally, sensor models were replaced by hardware and a flight platform was assembled. This platform was attached to a helicopter with which dynamics representative of the landing were flown. With the acquired flight data the performance of relative vision-based navigation was demonstrated although it suffered from overlooked elements of the test environment.