Vision-based control for on-orbit servicing

Vision-based control provides a flexible and adaptable sensor system capable of high levels of precision and accuracy over a large range of situations. The ability to mount a lightweight, low-cost, lower-power, non-destructive, no-contact sensor on a robotic manipulator and to employ it as a the sole sensor between acquisition and capture provides a vast field of opportunities in which on-orbit servicing can be a leader. In this paper, we will examine the use of just such a system during the most critical phase of on-orbit servicing, the capture.