Imaging and Localisation Package for a Martian Balloon Based Aerobot

1. Imaging and Localisation Package for a Martian Balloon Based Aerobot Dave Barnes, Andy Shaw, Phil Summers Roger Ward, Mark Woods, Malcolm Evans Gerhard Paar, Mark Sims ESA Contract No. 17400/03/NL/CH

2. Contents • ILP overview • Balloon gondola hardware • Balloon localisation • Balloon simulator • The way forward

3. Balloon Imaging Mission

4. Imaging and Localisation Package • The package will allow optimal acquisition of images to reconstruct accurate models of the surface of the explored planet, and accurate localisation of the balloon with respect to the Martian surface. The ILP by means of aerobot mounted cameras and computer vision techniques will: a) acquire and store images of the surface at various resolutions, b) construct and update a 3D model (DEM) of the surface, (cont..)

5. Imaging and Localisation Package • c) constantly estimate the position (latitude, longitude and altitude) of the aerobot as well as its motion with respect to the surface, and d) decide on the base of the communications budget, of the morphology of the surface and of the information content of the images, which images at which resolution/compression need to be transmitted to Earth.

6. Image Acquisition Problem

7. Satellite Transmission Problem

8. SOW ILP Overview

9. Contents • ILP overview • Balloon gondola hardware • Balloon localisation • Balloon simulator • The way forward

10. Hardware Overview • Balloon envelope • Propulsion system • Altimeter • Camera • On-board processor • Mock terrain

11. Balloon Lift • A 1830 mm ( 6 ft) diameter balloon will produce a total lift of 3 kg • PVDC envelope mass =1 kg • Gondola mass = 2 kg •  Mylar envelope mass = 0.3 kg • Gondola mass = 2.7 kg

12. AVI - Early Propulsion System

13. HardwareOverview

14. Complete Gondola Structure

15. ILP Gondola Camera Calibration

16. Gondola Captured ESTEC PTB Image Mosaic

17. Contents • ILP overview • Balloon gondola hardware • Balloon localisation • Balloon simulator • The way forward

18. Localisation Approach To maintain localisation accuracy over large aerobot flight distances, our ILP approach augments a relative localisation method with an additional global localisation approach.

19. Relative Localisation

20. Global Localisation Local Aerobot ILP Generated DEM FEATURE AND GRADIENT MATCHING METHODS USED

21. Global Orbiter DEM Showing Localised Balloon E.G. MGS MOLA DATA WITH EXTRACTED FEATURES

22. Contents • ILP overview • Balloon gondola hardware • Balloon localisation • Balloon simulator • The way forward

23. Balloon Simulator Overview Terrain Data: MOLA, MOC, THEMIS Martian Meteorology: ESA MCDB & CFD ILP Martian Balloon Simulator Balloon Aerodynamics Model Gondola Instrumentation Model e.g. Camera

24. Balloon Simulator Screen Shot

25. Beagle 2 landing ellipse and crater ‘H’ Image courtesy THEMIS ASU Team and MSSS

26. Shape from shading – crater ‘H’

27. Balloon Simulator Overview Terrain Data: MOLA, MOC, THEMIS Martian Meteorology: ESA MCDB & CFD ILP Martian Balloon Simulator Balloon Aerodynamics Model Gondola Instrumentation Model e.g. Camera

28. 3D Navier-Stokes Martian Wind

29. Contents • ILP overview • Balloon gondola hardware • Balloon localisation • Balloon simulator • The way forward

30. Tethered Martian Balloon Study • Martian Atmospheric Parameters? • Location, Temperature, Pressure, Wind Speeds • Balloon Envelope Parameters? • Material, Density, Thickness, Permeability • Balloon Tether Parameters? • Material, Density, Young’s Modulus, Balloon Altitude (500m) • Rover (or Lander) Related Parameters? • Winch Mass (incl. electronics), Gas Storage • Science Instrument Mass? • Instruments, Power, Communications, Electronics (1kg)

31. InnovativeBalloon Lift Methods

32. TetheredHybridBalloon/KiteExperiments