Reflection-based vision guide method for coarse alignment of vector measurement during the satellite assembly,...

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Optical Metrology
• Robotics

Background:

• Satellite assembly, integration, and test (AIT) relies on accurate vector measurements.
• Traditional on-site methods are inefficient, hindering rapid satellite development cycles in commercial spaceflight.
• Online, high-precision automatic vector measurement systems are needed to meet growing demands.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an online, high-precision automatic vector measurement system for satellite AIT.
• To address the challenge of coarse alignment, specifically identifying cubic prisms and calculating their normal direction in unstructured environments.
• To propose and validate a novel reflection-based vision guide method for this purpose.

Main Methods:

• A reflection-based vision guide system was designed to identify cubic prisms.
• The system calculates the normal direction of the prism's surface with required precision.
• Detailed calibration and calculation methodologies for the vision guide system were presented.

Main Results:

• The proposed reflection-based vision guide method successfully identifies cubic prisms.
• Accurate calculation of the normal direction of the cubic prism surface was achieved.
• Experimental validation confirmed the effectiveness of the developed online automatic vector measurement system.

Conclusions:

• The developed online high-precision automatic vector measurement system, utilizing a reflection-based vision guide, significantly enhances efficiency in satellite AIT.
• This method overcomes the challenges of coarse alignment in unstructured environments, supporting the accelerated development cycles of commercial spaceflight.
• The system offers a viable solution for precise vector measurement, crucial for the growing satellite industry.