In late 2012 GMV was chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) to continue with the second phase of the “GNC for NEO” project. The first phase of this autonomous GNC system, consisting of enabling technology for sample return missions from asteroids like Marco Polo-R (ESA) or Osiris-Rex (NASA), was won in an open tender under the Technology Research Program (TRP). The objectives of this phase were research and development of GNC algorithms, including image processing for NEO proximity operations.

After the success of the first phase, in which the Marco Polo GNC system demonstrator clocked up a verification and validation algorithm maturity level of TRL 41, ESA assigned the second stage to GMV by means of direct negotiation under the Core Technology Program (CTP) of scientific and exploration missions.

In this second phase one of the project challenges will be to refine the GNC algorithms to meet the new objectives and requirements of the Marco Polo-R mission and to upgrade algorithm qualification to technology maturity level TRL 5/6.

To do so, after upgrading of the GNC prototype, an intensive performance validation campaign will be carried out in different scenarios, running several thousand computer simulations. The flight software will then be embedded in the onboard processor and real-time simulations will be conducted. The validation plan involves hardware-in-the-loop tests. First of all static tests will be conducted in GMV’s optic navigation laboratory.

Lastly, the complete GNC system will be tested in GMV’s platform® testbench. Using its two robotic arms platform® will simulate the dynamics and environment in a realistic way. At the end of the validation and verification process the GNC system will then be ready for flight tests with a higher level of precision and reliability.