The 9 x 9 x 9 mts volume has been enclosed for safety reason. Inside this volume, an high precision infrared tracking system is providing positioning data to the UAV that has been customized by Mechatronics Laboratory of Polytecn of Turin.
Images are processed, waypoint after waypoint, by a GNS (Guidance Navigation System) which capable of guiding the lander based only on the images taken by the camera. The aim of of the processing suggesting good waypoint in order to avoind obstacle and select good places to land. The drone is guided to the ground, waypoint after waypoint slowly decreasing altitude until safe touchdown is reached.
Mars terrain mockup has been realized by TASI based on detailed DEM and photo data available from recent NASA mission on the planet.
Images and movies are courtesy of Thales Alenia Space Italia in the frame of STEPS (Sistemi e Tecnologie per l’EsPlorazione Spaziale) a research project co-financed by Piedmont Region and firms and universities of the Piedmont Aerospace District in the ambit of the P.O.R. – F.E.S.R. 2007-2013 EC funding program
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