3D Vision for Panoramic Camera of ESA ExoMars mission 2016
Description
ESA’s ExoMars Rover Mission is scheduled for launch 2016 and landing on the Red Planet in 2017 to search for signs of past and present life on Mars. One important scientific sensor is a panoramic imaging system (PanCam), mounted on the Rover Mast. It consists of a wide angle multispectral stereo pair and a high resolution monoscopic camera. Main objectives during its six months operational phase are the provision of context information to detect, locate and measure potential scientifically interesting targets, localize the landing site, geologically characterize the local environment, and observe experiments.
Three dimensional (3D) PanCam vision processing is an essential component of mission planning and scientific data analysis. Standard ground vision processing products will be digital terrain maps, panoramas, and virtual views of the environment. Such processing is currently developed by the PanCam 3D Vision Team under Joanneum Research coordination with background coming from the Mars Netlander Panoramic Camera (DLR) and the Beagle 2 camera system (MSSL, JR, and Univ. Wales).
After landing in 2017 the resulting software tools and their processing products will be used by geologists, exobiologists and mission engineers to decide upon experiments, select scientifically interesting sites for the rover, and determine risks, resource costs and a priori success probability of vehicle operations: PanCam 3D vision is a key element of ExoMars mission success.
Partners
- Joanneum Research (JR), Institute of Digital Image Processing, Gerhard Paar
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL), University College London, Dr. Andrew Coates.
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Institute of Planetary Research, Prof. Ralf Jaumann
- Aberystwyth University, Department of Computer Science, Dr. Dave Barnes
Funding
FFG/BMVIT Austrian Space Applications Programme (ASAP 4) & JOANNEUM RESEARCH
