A researcher at the University of Dundee will give a public briefing today on his new technology for communicating in space.
Computer vision-based navigation is being considered for planetary landers to enable them to land softly, close to a pre-designated target landing spot, avoiding any small craters, boulders or other obstacles not visible in an orbital survey. The development and testing of a vision-based lander guidance system requires high-resolution images of the planet's surface which are usually not available.
The Space Systems research group has however developed a computer tool for generating realistic simulated planetary surfaces and for producing the images of those simulated surfaces. The application of this technology in the computer games and film industries is also being considered.
Dr Steve Parkes, who leads the Space Systems Research Group at the University pioneered the work that led to the creation of SpaceWire an open standard network for use in high data-rate, satellite, onboard data-handling systems. SpaceWire is now being used on several ESA and NASA missions.
One of the main aims of SpaceWire is to support the re-use of technology. If a system developed for one mission can be readily used on another mission, costs can be reduced and reliability can be improved channelling more money from limited budgets to scientific work.
Dr Parkes has a long track record of satellite electronic research and development in both academia and the space industry.
Contact Dr Steve Parkes 01382 345194
By Jenny Marra, Head of Press 01382 344910 j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk