CMU FRC talk: Celestial Navigation for Localization of Planetary Rovers

Deborah Sigel, PhD Candidate
Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University

With new interest in placing rovers on the Moon as a precursor to human re-landing, there is a need to develop modern technology to support a landing and operating a semi-autonomous vehicle on the surface, with minimal support infrastructure. The challenge of localization and navigation on an atmosphere-less body without GPS architecture or relay satellite presents a unique opportunity to explore the benefits of celestial navigation.

Here we propose a new method to localize a vehicle on a planetary body using a standard spacecraft star tracker. This talk will first provide a look into the history of celestial navigation and spacecraft attitude control systems to introduce modern tools available for rover localization. Two different rover celestial localization schemes, StarGrav and a new wide field-of-view star tracker method, will be described and compared. A conceptual hardware design for a flight Lunar celestial localization system based on the wide FOV star tracker will then be presented.

Speaker Bio: Deborah Sigel is a PhD candidate in the FRC, working with David Wettergreen. Her research interests include development of robotic technology and methods to improve space and planetary exploration. She obtained an MS in Aerospace Engineering at University of Maryland, and BS in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Her technical experience has included designing and building spaceflight astronaut hand tools for NASA's Return to Flight program, while at Swales Aerospace, to assist astronauts in space shuttle on-orbit repairs, used on flights STS-114 and STS-121. She has also worked at NASA JPL to design mechanical hardware for the Mars Exploration Rovers (Spirit and Opportunity) and Mars Science Laboratory rover.