13 May 2011

VBS Far Range data taken during transfer in-between experiments

One of the main goals during the PRISMA mission operations at GSOC is to generate data from the cameras for On-Orbit Servicing representative scenarios. At far distances this shall be performed later on with the Far Range camera. As different kind of data can be acquainted with the camera first tests have been performed for comparison and selection of the ideal data type for later use.

For this purpose the transfer in-between the HPGP final and the AFF-VBS-CR initial state has been used to run the VBS FR camera on the way in generating data. The transfer is shown in Fig. 1. The blue line denotes the relative distance between the two spacecrafts (x), the red one the radial displacement between the two (z) and the green one the difference in the component normal to the orbital plane (y). While y and z do not alter too much the shrinking value denoted by the blue line. Clearly the decreasing relative distance can be detected with a final arrival at destination at 30^th of April 2am in the morning.

Fig. 1 Transfer from 1500 m to 50 m

A video shows the data generated with the VBS Far Range camera during the last 100 m of the approach sequence.