Engineers of JSC "Information Satellite Systems" named after M. F. Reshetnev (part of the State Corporation "Roscosmos") have successfully developed and implemented in production a new system of high-precision non-contact measurements of geometric parameters of spacecraft structures. The technology is based on a combination of laser radar and a photogrammetric system, which allows to record changes in the shape of objects with an accuracy of several tens of microns.
The photogrammetric system is a complex of specialized equipment and software that converts a series of digital images into a detailed three-dimensional model of the object under study. Such solutions were previously used mainly in the processing of remote sensing data of the Earth, but now they are adapted to the tasks of space engineering.
Thanks to the new technology, it became possible:
- Accurately track thermoelastic deformations of large-sized structures under extreme temperatures (from –150 °C to +150 °C);
- Improve the quality of manufacturing of such critical elements as reflectors, rods and trusses;
- Ensure a higher level of reliability of spacecraft due to improved control of geometry and stability of structures.
The development was implemented with the participation of the Siberian State University of Science and Technology named after Academician M. F. Reshetnev, which acted as a strategic partner of the project. According to representatives of the company, the use of non-contact measurement methods not only increases the accuracy of control, but also eliminates the risk of mechanical impact on sensitive components of products.