Related papers: Formation Flying Techniques for the Virtual Telesc…
We present a mission designed for the study of transient phenomena in the high energy sky, through a wide field X-ray/hard X-ray monitor, and fast (< 1 min) follow up observations with Narrow Field Instrumentation. This is based on an X-ray…
In developing medical interventions using untethered milli- and microrobots, ensuring safety and effectiveness relies on robust methods for detection, real-time tracking, and precise localization within the body. However, the inherent…
We review some of the scientific opportunities and technical challenges posed by the exploration of the large digital sky surveys, in the context of a Virtual Observatory (VO). The VO paradigm will profoundly change the way observational…
We summarize some of the compelling new scientific opportunities for understanding stars and stellar systems that can be enabled by sub-mas angular resolution, UV/Optical spectral imaging observations, which can reveal the details of the…
We study image formation with the solar gravitational lens (SGL). We consider a point source that is positioned at a large but finite distance from the Sun. We assume that an optical telescope is positioned in the image plane, in the focal…
This paper presents a control strategy based on dual quaternions for the coordinated formation flying of small UAV groups. A virtual structure is employed to define the desired formation, enabling unified control of its position,…
Recent work on 3D object detection advocates point cloud voxelization in birds-eye view, where objects preserve their physical dimensions and are naturally separable. When represented in this view, however, point clouds are sparse and have…
On-orbit servicing (OOS), inspection of spacecraft, and active debris removal (ADR). Such missions require precise rendezvous and proximity operations in the vicinity of non-cooperative, possibly unknown, resident space objects. Safety…
Orbit determination of spacecraft in orbit has been mostly dependent on either GNSS satellite signals or ground station telemetry. Both methods present their limitations, however: GNSS signals can only be used effectively in earth orbit,…
The International X-ray Observatory (IXO), a joint NASA-ESA-JAXA effort, will address fundamental and timely questions in astrophysics: What happens close to a black hole? How did supermassive black holes grow? How does large scale…
The ESPRESSO spectrograph at ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) has, since it began science operations in October 2018, revolutionised exoplanet science. The combination of the large VLT mirrors and the high resolution and stability of the…
The Constellation X-ray Mission is a high throughput X-ray facility emphasizing observations at high spectral resolution (E/\Delta E \sim 300-3000), and broad energy bandpass (0.25-40 keV). Constellation-X will provide a factor of nearly…
In order to avoid collisions with space debris, the near Earth orbit must be continuously scanned by either ground- or spaced-based facilities. For the low Earth orbit, radar telescopes are the workhorse for this task, especially due to…
This paper proposes an integrated framework for coordinating multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a distributed manner to persistently enclose and track a moving target without relying on external localization systems. The proposed…
We investigate the accuracy of astrometric measurements with the VLT/FORS1 camera and consider potential applications. The study is based on two-epoch (2000 and 2002/2003) frame series of observations of a selected Galactic Bulge sky region…
There are many instances when the structure of a weakly-scattering spinning object in flight must be determined to high resolution. Examples range from comets to nanoparticles and single molecules. The latter two instances are the subject…
LETSGO (LEnse-Thirring Sun-Geo Orbiter) is a proposed space-based mission involving the use of a spacecraft moving along a highly eccentric heliocentric orbit perpendicular to the ecliptic. It aims to accurately measure some important…
A Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft is capable of short/vertical takeoffs and landings, thus eliminating the requirement of long runways. This feature makes them suitable for a broader variety of missions, generally not…
As the number of confirmed exoplanets continues to grow, there is an increased push to spectrally characterize them to determine their atmospheric composition, formation paths, rotation rates, and habitability. However, there is a large…
In this paper, we investigate the problem of controlling multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to enclose a moving target in a distributed fashion based on a relative distance and self-displacement measurements. A relative localization…