Testing of the Algorithm for Autonomous Landing Site Selection of the Phobos-Grunt Spacecraft
Landing of the Phobos-Grunt spacecraft on the surface of Phobos will be supported by real-time computation of a surface non-homogeneity map that will be used to select the most flat site. The relative signal dispersion is chosen as the principal non-homogeneity criterion, with additional accounting for shadows and proximity of strong image non-homogeneities. The algorithm and the on-board software were tested using high-resolution images of Phobos, Mars and the Moon, as well as of specially designed rough surfaces.