Deep Space Autonomous Orbit Determination Using CCD Cameras

In this paper an algorithm for orbit determination in deep space using only measurements of attitude and of line of sight of known celestial bodies is presented. Measurements are then processed using two different filters reconstructing part or the entire state vector: a batch least squares filter and a combination of batch and Kalman filter. The strategy and the effectiveness of the two filters are compared on two sample cases of interplanetary trajectory toward Mercury (inner part of the solar system) and toward Jupiter (outer part of the solar system).