An iterative method for vision-based relative pose parameters of RVD spacecrafts

Using a monocular vision system constituted of four non-coplanar reference points in target and a CCD camera in chaser, develops the iterative method for relative pose parameters of RVD spacecrafts by representing the relative parameters using unit quaternion. The relative pose determination is transform a nonlinear optimization calculation, the merit function is developed in image space, and Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm is utilized to minimize the merit. To provide the initial values to the iteration process, a closed-form method for relative pose parameters is selected, which greatly decreased the computational efforts of the iteration process. In the last, the solution has been validated using mathematical simulation, and simulation results show that the iterative method is effective and reliable.