INESC TEC researchers create technology that can be used in space missions by 2018
The Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering of Porto (INESC TEC) has announced in a press release that the LIDAR, which will be used in vehicles to explore the solar system, was developed by Filipe Magalhães and Francisco Araújo, both researchers at INESC TEC.
This project is financed by the ESA, and according to Filipe Magalhães its main advantage is the fact that the equipment is light, which is useful in the landing of space crafts or in the navigation of robots on the surface of planets or moons, or even to collect samples from Mars and bring them back to Earth.
“In space missions, each extra kilo entails several thousands of Euros in fuel and power”, Filipe Magalhães stated.
But the compressive sensing system makes it possible to collect images – resolution of 1024×768 – with a camera containing a single-pixel detector, without having to perform any sweep or movement, which makes the technology light.
Another advantage of the LIDAR developed by the INESC TEC researchers is that, with the support of ESA, it will be possible to collect 2D and 3D images that can be used to measure wavelengths, something that was “impossible or too expensive until now”.
According to João Pereira do Carmo, ESA, “the inexistence in Europe of high resolution detectors to obtain 3D images and the costs of developing this technology” have caused the European Space Agency “to try and find alternative and high potential solutions” as the one proposed by Filipe Magalhães and Francisco Araújo.
“Another advantage is the possibility of miniaturising the sensor, thus substantially reducing mass and power consumed, and increasing the number of applications and space missions for which the system can be used in the future”, João Pereira do Carmo highlighted.
Therefore, the goal with INESC TEC’s LIDAR is to make it possible to identify the best location for space probes to land on the Moon or on Mars.
The radar will identify these locations by performing a topography analysis of the terrain based on image acquisition and on the respective distances registered for each pixel in the image.
As announced by INESC TEC, “the explorer robot on the surface of the planet can also detect obstacles or move more easily thanks to the system”.
“Making it easier to collect and transport samples on Mars and bring them to the Earth, by locating the exact location of orbiting capsules” is another goal of the system developed by INESC TEC, which will start the second phase of the project in the beginning of 2014.
According to the press release, INESC TEC, the Associate Laboratory coordinated by INESC Porto, is one of the few institutions in the world working on the use of this technology in space exploration.
