Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SENAV (Smart Space Exploration Navigation)
Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2024-05-31
Upcoming space exploration missions envisage precise and safe landing on planetary bodies as well as navigating orbiters, landers, space drones, and robots. Such missions will be performed at various distances from Earth, reaching from the vicinity of Earth and Moon out to several astronomical units for targets like Mars, asteroids or the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. A reliable execution of the operations mentioned above can only be achieved by implementing spacecraft autonomous operation and utilizing the target body as a navigation reference.
This brings a novel requirement for the incorporation of a higher-than-before grade of knowledge about the target, based on a-priori data and on measurements collected during the mission. Examples are globally geo-referenced features originating from mapping missions or the 3D structure of the landing area measured by the spacecraft in the final phase of a landing. This introduces the need for significantly improved of on-board processing capabilities and smart algorithms for a wide range of space exploration missions with differentiated demands.
SENAV aims to enable breakthroughs in technologies and scientific instrumentation for space science and exploration missions including those described in the Global Exploration Roadmap, with a strong focus on optical navigation for orbiters, landers, drones, and robots. In order to enable these missions, SENAV will start (at TRL2-3) to develop and advance smart algorithms, optimized software solutions and miniaturized HW modules, all to be validated through analogous test in laboratory environment aiming to achieve TRL4 for all HW and SW technologies. Consequent optimization of the payload data processing system accompanied by use of COTS components, as well as the miniaturization of high-performance hardware for integration into small space platforms, will contribute to the desired technological breakthroughs.
SENAV’s innovations will leverage the expertise of a very strong consortium, which is composed of 4 organizations comprising of: M2M Solutions, an SME from Slovakia, two experienced industrial partners TTTech Computertechnik AG and iTUBS from Austria and Germany respectively, and the renowned research center DLR from Germany.
Project Goals are:
1. Increase coverage of lunar/cratered body surface to global access
2. Improve probability of success of position acquisition mode (LiS mode, i.e. lost-in-space)
3. Decreasing initial mapping time with impact to fast cameras and sensors calibration in unknown environments
4. Optimization of portable processing SW routines to enable enhanced optical navigation
5. Integration of low-latency robotics operating system with synchronous deterministic on-board data communication
6. Miniaturization of TTEthernet-switch to be usable in small space platforms
7. Miniaturization of payload processing module to be usable in small space platforms
This brings a novel requirement for the incorporation of a higher-than-before grade of knowledge about the target, based on a-priori data and on measurements collected during the mission. Examples are globally geo-referenced features originating from mapping missions or the 3D structure of the landing area measured by the spacecraft in the final phase of a landing. This introduces the need for significantly improved of on-board processing capabilities and smart algorithms for a wide range of space exploration missions with differentiated demands.
SENAV aims to enable breakthroughs in technologies and scientific instrumentation for space science and exploration missions including those described in the Global Exploration Roadmap, with a strong focus on optical navigation for orbiters, landers, drones, and robots. In order to enable these missions, SENAV will start (at TRL2-3) to develop and advance smart algorithms, optimized software solutions and miniaturized HW modules, all to be validated through analogous test in laboratory environment aiming to achieve TRL4 for all HW and SW technologies. Consequent optimization of the payload data processing system accompanied by use of COTS components, as well as the miniaturization of high-performance hardware for integration into small space platforms, will contribute to the desired technological breakthroughs.
SENAV’s innovations will leverage the expertise of a very strong consortium, which is composed of 4 organizations comprising of: M2M Solutions, an SME from Slovakia, two experienced industrial partners TTTech Computertechnik AG and iTUBS from Austria and Germany respectively, and the renowned research center DLR from Germany.
Project Goals are:
1. Increase coverage of lunar/cratered body surface to global access
2. Improve probability of success of position acquisition mode (LiS mode, i.e. lost-in-space)
3. Decreasing initial mapping time with impact to fast cameras and sensors calibration in unknown environments
4. Optimization of portable processing SW routines to enable enhanced optical navigation
5. Integration of low-latency robotics operating system with synchronous deterministic on-board data communication
6. Miniaturization of TTEthernet-switch to be usable in small space platforms
7. Miniaturization of payload processing module to be usable in small space platforms
Progress Towards Objective 2
In Period 1 SENAV partners effectively deployed the CNav software on a development board, which is equipped with a processor similar to the one intended for the payload processing unit, as well as on an x86 desktop computer. Test data was provided which is necessary for conducting timing tests of the reference CNav. A profiling has been conducted in order to determine performance critical routines and derive optimization strategies.
Progress Towards Objective 3
SENAV has made significant strides towards achieving this objective through the development of a SLAM wrapper as a software module. This wrapper acts as an intermediary, providing a unified interface for the navigation module (autopilot) and facilitating the integration and processing of outputs generated by the SLAM algorithms. It also manages the integration of data from various sensors, ensuring seamless communication and functionality.
Progress Towards Objective 4
A profiling of both types of applications has been conducted in order to determine performance critical routines and derive optimization strategies. SENAV partners also have performed an initial code analysis in order to manually understand optimization potential of the respective SW routines.
Progress Towards Objective 5
The requirements have been set and an initial development and a validation plan have been created. SENAV plans to integrate the ROS middleware with the Deterministic Ethernet communication network to provide an ideal platform for implementing (AI-supported) autonomous robotic applications in space. This platform would guarantee deterministic behavior, fault-tolerance, and the system's reliability, but also simplify the complex design and optimize system resource allocation and utilization.
Progress Towards Objective 6
SENAV has initially evaluated, specified and selected interfaces and key components for the TTEthernet switch. The selected interfaces and HW components were defined considering modularity and interoperability principles. SENAV finalized the architectural design of the on-board communication switch (i.e. schematic, PCB layout of the target device). This design was finalized and provided to a manufacturer.
Progress Towards Objective 7
SENAV has evaluated, specified and selected interfaces and key components for the payload processing unit. The finishing of the design, manufacturing, integration and validation is to be performed in Period 2.
In Period 1 SENAV partners effectively deployed the CNav software on a development board, which is equipped with a processor similar to the one intended for the payload processing unit, as well as on an x86 desktop computer. Test data was provided which is necessary for conducting timing tests of the reference CNav. A profiling has been conducted in order to determine performance critical routines and derive optimization strategies.
Progress Towards Objective 3
SENAV has made significant strides towards achieving this objective through the development of a SLAM wrapper as a software module. This wrapper acts as an intermediary, providing a unified interface for the navigation module (autopilot) and facilitating the integration and processing of outputs generated by the SLAM algorithms. It also manages the integration of data from various sensors, ensuring seamless communication and functionality.
Progress Towards Objective 4
A profiling of both types of applications has been conducted in order to determine performance critical routines and derive optimization strategies. SENAV partners also have performed an initial code analysis in order to manually understand optimization potential of the respective SW routines.
Progress Towards Objective 5
The requirements have been set and an initial development and a validation plan have been created. SENAV plans to integrate the ROS middleware with the Deterministic Ethernet communication network to provide an ideal platform for implementing (AI-supported) autonomous robotic applications in space. This platform would guarantee deterministic behavior, fault-tolerance, and the system's reliability, but also simplify the complex design and optimize system resource allocation and utilization.
Progress Towards Objective 6
SENAV has initially evaluated, specified and selected interfaces and key components for the TTEthernet switch. The selected interfaces and HW components were defined considering modularity and interoperability principles. SENAV finalized the architectural design of the on-board communication switch (i.e. schematic, PCB layout of the target device). This design was finalized and provided to a manufacturer.
Progress Towards Objective 7
SENAV has evaluated, specified and selected interfaces and key components for the payload processing unit. The finishing of the design, manufacturing, integration and validation is to be performed in Period 2.
Final results are expected in period 2. Progress towards the project goals is currently on track.