Qualification of a Time-of-Flight Camera as a Hazard Detection and Avoidance Sensor for a Moon Exploration Microrover

抄録

This paper describes the methodology used for the implementation of a time-of-flight (ToF) camera in a lunar exploration microrover as a hazard detection and avoidance (HDA) sensor. Each frame from the ToF camera provides a 3D point cloud of the environment. Such data have unique advantages for autonomous hazard detection. First, we investigate the durability of the ToF camera system to survive the launch and space environment and report the results of qualification tests: a vibration test, thermal vacuum test, and radiation test. Second, we focus on the critical optical performance under lunar surface illumination conditions. We present the rationale and implementation of the first improvement made to the commercial version of the sensor to better suit strong illumination conditions. We conducted optical testing to verify that the quality of the 3D point cloud is sufficiently reliable for input into the HDA algorithm. Finally, we implemented a proof-of-concept algorithm and performed field testing of the integrated detection, analysis and command chain. Through this research, a terrestrial sensor is qualified and customized to provide the data quality capable of autonomous hazard detection and avoidance on the lunar surface.