In the field of space navigation, the institute mainly investigates the autonomous navigation of spacecraft. In deep space, GNSS is not available, thus, positioning and navigation of spacecraft needs to be carried out by on-board sensors. This implies that an efficient and fail-safe sensor fusion is of great importance. Moreover, swarm navigation becomes more and more important in recent years. The challenge here is to navigate the complete swarm of spacecraft as well as the spacecraft themselves within the swarm such that the mission goals, e.g., on positioning accuracy, are met.
| VaMEx-VRN: Robust Navigation for Mars UAVs The DLR-funded project Valles Marineris Explorer - Validated Robust Navigation (VaMEx-VRN) focuses on developing a robust navigation system for a long-range Mars UAV. The system primarily relies on Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN), using onboard camera views matched with satellite images for precise position determination. A sophisticated sensor fusion framework integrates this data, detects faulty updates, and ensures reliable navigation even during periods without position updates. The TRN system is tested in a Mars analog scenario, validated through a Virtual Testbed developed by the University of Bremen. This testbed will enable more accurate and realistic algorithm development for future missions. Learn more at vamex.space. |
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