CETACEAN: Autonomous and Modular Onboard Relative Navigation Software for On-Orbit Proximity Operations & Docking

A robust relative navigation software capability is a key enabler of all RPOD missions, and therefore an essential technology to unlock ISAM capabilities. There are two areas of development that are needed to advance relative navigation towards onboard autonomous viability: 1) Improvement of machine vision and image processing performance in spaceflight applications and 2) Development of a navigation filter architecture that can fuse machine vision measurements with a combination of sensor types to enable flight software and hardware modularity. Starfish Space is continuing development of CETACEAN, a relative navigation software package designed to autonomously and reliably determine the relative state between two spacecraft given customizable combinations of onboard sensors. Specifically, CETACEAN will offer the ability to estimate accurate position, velocity, attitude, and rotation rate information. In this Phase II, Starfish Space proposes to mature CETACEANs image processing algorithms using actual imagery gathered from an in-space mission. This imagery will be used to create a Vision-in-the Loop (VIL) system for continued CETACEAN development. The initial purpose of this VIL system is to provide a controlled environment for CETACEAN to ingest this imagery and conduct full end-to-end testing of the relative navigation hardware and software Training on the authentic in-space imagery represents a significant step forward, as the machine vision techniques used in CETACEAN have not yet been applied in space at scale.

Starfish Space has held discussions with NASA regarding application of CETACEAN to the following missions: On-orbit inspection of the ISS or crewed spacecraft; Approach and positioning for assembly of elements, delivery, repair, and inspection for Gateway logistics/assembly; Enabling safe approach for station keeping, repairing, upgrading, or refueling of NASA science satellites; Relative navigation for Hubble for boost or end-of-life. Further applications are detailed in Table 1 of the technical volume.

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