The objective of this activity is to perform the detailed functional design and validation at breadboard level of an image stabilization system studied by the TRP activity 'High accuracy image stabilization system for GEO-HR - Preliminary design and performance assessment'. This concept aims at achieving unprecedented stability for Earth Observation and Science missions through a two stage control, where the conventional AOCS is complemented by a line-of sight stabilization system located inside the instrument, with high bandwidth inertial sensors and a fast steering mirror mechanisation.

In the conventional system approach, image stability requirements are met constraining the platform and instruments to a very quiet thermo-mechanical environment. Major limitations come from the difficulties to develop low noise reaction wheels and the huge mass penalty of a cold gas micropropulsion solution. For the GEO-HR mission, which targets 6-10 m spatial resolution from GEO, an active line of sight control is considered as a candidate solution. Such pointing concept has been successfully implemented in Europe in the special case of small Laser Communication Terminals with Artemis SILEX and EDRS LCT but also more recently in US within the Optical instruments of SDO (Solar Dynamics Observatory) and GOES-R (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R series). The main tasks of this activity shall cover: a) the consolidation of the architecture and requirements of the high accuracy image stabilization system provided by a previous study applied to GEO-HR. b) the detailed design of an image stabilization system considering available technologies and components (sensors and actuators), the development of a high fidelity numerical simulator, the tuning of the control laws, etc. The line-of-sight displacements to be compensated by the stabilization system shall be derived considering a platform having a classical low cost AOCS (i.e. reaction wheel without active/passive damping, gyroless), with additional flexible/structural modes and with typical thermo-mechanical deformations; c) the procurement of the parts and the assembly of the breadboard; d) the preparation of test plan and requirements and the test campaign; e) the survey of candidate Earth Observation and Science missions (e.g. GEO-HR, EChO, NEAT, etc.) which would take advantage of the proposed image stabilization system, addressing any useful adaptation; f) the preparation of a preliminary development plan of the image stabilization system; g) conclusions and recommendations for future development.