{"id":546274,"date":"2023-10-11T15:25:56","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T19:25:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?post_type=topic&p=546274"},"modified":"2024-01-11T10:21:45","modified_gmt":"2024-01-11T15:21:45","slug":"relative-navigation-system","status":"publish","type":"topic","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/relative-navigation-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Relative Navigation System"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\" hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-secondary-navigation\"><div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-wrapper z-top width-100 padding-0\"><div id=\"\" class=\"hds-secondary-navigation width-full border-bottom-1px text-center hds-color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-hdsnav\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"hds-secondary-nav-mobile-button display-flex tablet:display-flex desktop:display-none width-full flex-align-center bg-carbon-90 border-color-carbon-80 color-spacesuit-white\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"hds-secondary-nav-track\"><span>NEXIS<\/span><svg width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewBox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\" \/><\/svg><\/button><div class=\"hds-secondary-nav-track grid-container grid-container-extrawide padding-0 tablet:padding-x-3 desktop:padding-x-2 \"><div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-menu-items\"><nav><ul class=\"usa-nav__primary usa-accordion flex-justify-center margin-0\"><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/\">NExIS Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/about-nexis\/\">About<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/NEXIS-resources\/\">Resources<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__primary-item\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"basic-nav-section-one\"><span>Missions & Servicing Technologies<\/span><svg class=\"hds-desktop-submenu-toggle-icon display-none tablet:display-none desktop:display-block\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 400 400\" viewBox=\"0 0 400 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m4.2 122.2 195.1 195.1 196.5-196.6-37.9-38-157.8 157.8-156.8-156.8z\" \/><\/svg><svg class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon display-block tablet:display-block desktop:display-none\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"8\" cy=\"8\" r=\"7.5\" fill=\"#0B3D91\" stroke=\"white\"\/><rect x=\"4\" y=\"7.6001\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" fill=\"white\"\/><rect class=\"hds-mobile-submenu-toggle-icon-line-vertical\" x=\"7.59998\" y=\"12\" width=\"8\" height=\"0.8\" transform=\"rotate(-90 7.59998 12)\" fill=\"white\"\/><\/svg><\/button><ul id=\"basic-nav-section-one\" class=\"usa-nav__submenu\" hidden><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/technology.nasa.gov\/satellite-servicing\" rel=\"noopener\">Patented Technologies<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/isam\/\">In-Space Servicing, Assembly<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/on-orbit-servicing-assembly-and-manufacturing-1\/\">OSAM-1 Mission<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/relative-navigation-system\/\">Relative Navigation System<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/robotic-servicing-arm\/\">Robotic Servicing Arm<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/propellant-transfer-technologies\/\">Propellant Transfer Technologies<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/robotic-refueling-mission-3\/\">Robotic Refueling Mission 3<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/rrm-1-2\/\">RRM: Phase 1&2<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/nasa.gov\/nexis\/raven\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Raven<\/a><\/li><li class=\"usa-nav__submenu-item \"><a class=\"usa-nav__link\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/robotic-external-leak-locator\/\">Robotic External Leak Locator<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-topic-hero position-relative bg-carbon-black overflow-hidden width-full maxw-full grid-container display-flex flex-align-center flex-justify-center minh-tablet padding-y-9 padding-x-3 color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-topic-hero\"><figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/raven-artists-concept-18-jun-2014-s.png?w=600\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"RAVEN artist concept\" style=\"transform: scale(1.2); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/raven-artists-concept-18-jun-2014-s.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/raven-artists-concept-18-jun-2014-s.png?resize=300,175 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/raven-artists-concept-18-jun-2014-s.png?resize=400,233 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-left mobile-skrim-top\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"hds-grid-container position-relative display-flex flex-align-center flex-justify-start width-full\">\n\t\t<div class=\"width-full maxw-tablet\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-7\">\n\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"display-72 font-weight-extrabold line-height-sm margin-bottom-2 color-spacesuit-white-important\">Relative Navigation System<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p-lg margin-0 color-spacesuit-white-important\"><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-hero-stats\">\n\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"color-spacesuit-white-important label margin-bottom-2\"><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col grid-row flex-align-center padding-right-2 desktop:padding-right-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col grid-col-auto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"stat-number line-height-sm color-nasa-blue-tint font-weight-thin font-mono-2xl\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"color-spacesuit-white-important grid-col padding-left-2 tablet:padding-left-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"stat-value line-height-md\"><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col grid-row flex-align-center padding-right-2  desktop:padding-right-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col grid-col-auto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"stat-number line-height-sm color-nasa-blue-tint font-weight-thin font-mono-2xl\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"color-spacesuit-white-important grid-col padding-left-2 tablet:padding-left-3 tablet:padding-left-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"stat-value line-height-md\"><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Would a Robotic Servicer Navigate to Its Client?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:11px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Imagine two spacecraft steadily drawing closer to each other in space, swiftly slicing through the darkness at speeds exceeding 16,000 mph...<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:11px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>One is an aging satellite that needs more fuel to continue its operations. The other, a fully robotic servicer spacecraft named <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/on-orbit-servicing-assembly-and-manufacturing-1\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/on-orbit-servicing-assembly-and-manufacturing-1\/\">On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1<\/a>, (O<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/on-orbit-servicing-assembly-and-manufacturing-1\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/on-orbit-servicing-assembly-and-manufacturing-1\/\">SAM-1<\/a>)  is there to deliver propellant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everything hinges on the servicer’s ability to accurately locate, close on, and ultimately match rates with its client satellite. Time delays in human communication, calculation, and commands, however, prevent ground controllers from directing the servicer quickly and precisely enough to execute the final capture phase of the rendezvous.<a href=\"https:\/\/nexis.gsfc.nasa.gov\/images\/NASA%20Raven_2.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To succeed, OSAM-1 needs an relative navigation system \u2014 a collection of cameras, sensors, computers, algorithms and avionics that join forces to independently track the client satellite at different ranges \u2014 all in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once this system visually locks into the client, it can safely “guide and drive” OSAM-1 through precise rendezvous maneuvers with its client satellite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\" data-type=\"image-article\">NEx<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/image-article\/october-1957-sputnik-launched\/\" data-type=\"image-article\" data-id=\"407835\">IS<\/a> is working to advance the technologies for such an autonomous relative navigation system. This same system could be adapted and applied to support missions involving rendezvous with other objects, including planetary bodies and spacecraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA also plans to use this system for the robotic vehicle of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/content\/what-is-nasa-s-asteroid-redirect-mission\">Asteroid Redirect Mission<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:61px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:11px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Testing the Technologies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Two NExIS projects in particular have advanced the technologies for autonomous, real-time relative navigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:26px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/raven\/\">Raven<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/raven\/\">Raven<\/a>, which launched to the space station in 2016, test key elements of the autonomous relative navigation system. Raven draws heavily from its predecessor, the ground-based Argon test bed, described below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:28px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/argon\/\">Argon<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Before there was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/raven\/\">Raven<\/a>, there was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/argon\/\" data-type=\"URL\">Argon<\/a>: a NASA-developed, ground-based demonstration module that helped to rapidly mature – as an integrated system – the individual sensors, algorithms, and system technologies a spacecraft would need to perform rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) at multiple ranges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How Would a Robotic Servicer Navigate to Its Client? Imagine two spacecraft steadily drawing closer to each other in space, swiftly slicing through the darkness at speeds exceeding 16,000 mph... One is an aging satellite that needs more fuel to continue its operations. The other, a fully robotic servicer spacecraft named On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":167,"featured_media":546276,"parent":543255,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[]},"categories":[],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[],"coauthors":[10404],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"WebPage","headline":"Relative Navigation System","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/relative-navigation-system\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/relative-navigation-system\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/raven-artists-concept-18-jun-2014-s.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/raven-artists-concept-18-jun-2014-s.png"},"articleSection":"General","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jennifer M. Brill"}],"creator":["Jennifer M. Brill"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2023-10-11T19:25:56Z","datePublished":"2023-10-11T19:25:56Z","dateModified":"2024-01-11T15:21:45Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Relative Navigation System\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/nexis\/relative-navigation-system\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"index\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/raven-artists-concept-18-jun-2014-s.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2023-10-11T19:25:56Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"General\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Jennifer M. 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