An AI-enabled lidar and imaging suite successfully completed a rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) demonstration on board Momentus’ Vigoride-7 orbital service vehicle (OSV) in a mission with a NASA satellite.
The demonstration showed the capability to integrate and validate commercial technologies for in-space transportation, servicing and logistics. It also indicated that the lidar could produce imagery necessary to support autonomous RPO in multiple lighting environments.
The demonstration was part of a contract awarded to Momentus by SpaceWERX to build the suite of imaging devices using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) sensors retrofitted and space-qualified for use in low Earth orbit (LEO).
The lidar demo
Momentus deployed NASA’s R5-S10 6U CubeSat from its Vigoride-7 OSV. The CubeSat performed navigation maneuvers to enable the collection of optical, infrared and lidar data at varying distances and under multiple lighting conditions.
Solstar Space's Deke communications terminal enabled communication between the CubeSat and Vigoride-7 and supported the transfer and download of imagery collected during the demonstration.
Momentus said it will continue to demonstrate the Vigoride platform as a vehicle for testing and deploying next-generation space infrastructure technologies. Momentus' long-term goal is to validate commercially derived autonomous operations technologies in orbit and positioning itself to pursue future government and commercial opportunities in space.
