Navcam Explained

Navcam, short for navigational camera, is a type of camera found on certain robotic rovers or spacecraft used for navigation without interfering with scientific instruments.[1] [2] [3] Navcams typically take wide angle photographs that are used to plan the next moves of the vehicle[4] or object tracking.[1]

Overview

The Mars Curiosity rover has two pairs of black and white navigation cameras mounted on the mast to support ground navigation. The cameras have a 45 degree angle of view and use visible light to capture stereoscopic 3-D imagery.[5] These cameras, like those on the Mars Pathfinder missions support use of the ICER image compression format.

European Space Agency Rosetta spacecraft used a single camera with 5 degree field of view and 12 bit 1024x1024px resolution allowing for visual tracking on each of spacecraft approaches to the asteroids and finally the comet.[1]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Comet 67P/C-G in Rosetta's navigation camera. ESA. 15 August 2015.
  2. Web site: The rover's "eyes" and other "senses". https://web.archive.org/web/20040307102014/http://marsrover.nasa.gov/mission/spacecraft_rover_eyes.html. dead. 7 March 2004. Mars Exploration Rover Mission. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 3 January 2013.
  3. News: How A Team Of Scientists Dropped A One-Ton Science Lab On Mars Completely Unscathed. The Business Insider. 17 December 2012.
  4. News: More Driving And Imaging At 'Matijevic Hill'. Space Daily. November 26, 2012.
  5. http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2012/08080751-curiosity-first-navcam-pan-3d.html First NavCam mosaic