Accurate Planetary Limb Localization for Image-Based Spacecraft Navigation

The use of images for spacecraft navigation is well established. Although these images have traditionally been processed by a human analyst on Earth, a variety of recent advancements have led to an increased interest in autonomous imaged-based spacecraft navigation. This work presents a comprehensive treatment of the techniques required to navigate using the lit limb of an ellipsoidal body (usually a planet or moon) in an image. New observations...