Laboratory Demonstration of Light-Detection-and-Ranging-Based Docking and Refueling of a Spinning Spacecraft

This research addresses the need to develop in-space refueling technologies by experimentally demonstrating an autonomous docking maneuver and fluid transfer operation between a servicer spacecraft and an uncooperative spinning client spacecraft. A novel computer vision algorithm estimates the relative pose of the client spacecraft in real time using an onboard light detection and ranging camera. An unscented Kalman filter refines the pose data before a model predictive controller generates a collision-free docking trajectory for the servicer spacecraft to follow. A custom-designed docking and refueling mechanism for fluid transfer performs magnetic soft docking and robotic arm capture to seal a probe-and-drogue connection and transfer fluid from the servicer to the client spacecraft. Planar experimental validation is conducted at Carleton University’s Spacecraft Proximity Operations Testbed, demonstrating a complete autonomous docking and refueling operation.