The mission utilizes a sophisticated testbed named 'Retina' (Realistic Experimental FaciliTy for vision-based Navigation) to develop and verify the vision-based navigation algorithms required for Lumio's operations. Retina consists of various opto-mechanical components arranged along two optical lines on an optical bench in a darkroom.
Each line features a high-resolution microdisplay projecting synthetic lunar scenes, linked to a collimator lens system that simulates infinite distance projections, a relay lens assembly for variable magnification, and a camera that replicates real vision-based systems.
Developed by the Deep-space Astrodynamics Research and Technology (DART) group at Politecnico di Milano's Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, Retina supports the Lumio project under ESA's supervision.
Professor Francesco Topputo from Politecnico di Milano noted, "If this experiment can indeed determine Lumio's position without any ground station in the loop, it would pave the way for low-cost autonomous navigation in cislunar space."
Lumio, a compact 12-unit CubeSat, is designed using standardized 10 cm modules and will orbit around the Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 2. This mission was one of two successful proposals from the ESA SysNova Lunar CubeSats for Exploration challenge and has secured funding through ESA's General Support Technology Programme's 'Fly' Element, which aims to demonstrate promising space technology early.
The consortium building Lumio for ESA includes Politecnico di Milano, Argotec, Leonardo, IMT- Ingegneria Marketing Tecnologia, Nautilus, ECAPS, LMO, and S and T Norway.
Related Links
Lunar Meteoroid Impact Observer, Lumio, mission
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more
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