ABSTRACT In addition to radio navigation, optical navigation has been used successfully in deep-space missions since the launch of the Voyager spacecraft, in the 1970s. In the 1990s, the NASA’s Deep Space-1 mission successfully tested an autonomous optical navigation system which allowed great reduction in mission costs, and maximized scientific results. The ASTER mission, the first Brazilian deep space mission, shall count on the support of optical navigation for all its phases. The platform of the probe is the Russian Pilgrim spacecraft developed by the Russian Space Research Institute for the Finnish-Russian mission to Mars (MetNet). As such, besides the scientific camera on board (which may also be used for navigation purposes), the probe will also dispose of a navigation camera (NAVCAM). This study is related to the formulation of a general proposal of optical navigation, that can be used in the ASTER mission, which takes into account the equipment available on board, especially the NAVCAM, along with tracking software suitable for the conduction of optical navigation. The description of an appropriate navigation algorithm together with its successful application to simulated and real images (from NASA’s New Horizons mission) is carried out.

Abstract: The Brazilian deep space mission ASTER, as temporarily named, plans to send a small spacecraft to encounter and investigate the triple asteroid 2001-SN263. The launch is scheduled (initially) to occur in 2015, arriving in 2018. The main motivation of the mission is the development of technology and expertise to leverage the national space sector. Within the scientific goals, the investigation of the still unknown asteroid 2001-SN263. The main project guideline is to aggregate the widest possible Brazilian involvement in the platform, the development and operation of subsystems, integration, payload, as well as in the tracking, navigation, guidance and control of the probe. To meet this guideline, among others, the decision for the development of a laser altimeter in Brazil to fly in the mission was taken. This effort is currently coordinated by a group of researchers from the aerospace engineering personnel of UFABC. This article presents the preliminary development plan for the design of this instrument, which was called ALR (ASTER Laser Rangefinder).