Autonomous hazard avoidance control for Chang’E-3 soft landing

Abstract

Chang'E-3 is the first mission of Chinese soft landing on celestial body outside Earth. Chang'E-3 firstly implements the autonomous hazard avoidance of soft landing using the onboard measured image data. For the feature of autonomous hazard avoidance mission, Chang'E-3 firstly presents the relay hazard avoidance control method including the large hazard avoidance of gray-scale-safe & attitude maneuver and the fine hazard avoidance of altitude-safe & position-attitude maneuver. The real flight results of Chang'E-3 show that in the powered descent process the safe landing site is acquired, the precise hazard avoidance maneuver is achieved perfectly, and the safety of touch point for soft landing is insured. The autonomous hazard avoidance control and onboard flight results for Chang'E-3 are described.