Quad-spectral Unaided Experimental Scanner of Topography on BEXUS 27

This paper describes the REXUS/BEXUS experiment forQuad-spectral Unaided Experimental Scanner of Topography(QUEST). QUEST as part of the REXUS/BEXUS program was designed, developed, built, tested and operated by a team of 17 students from different German universities. It scanned the planet surface by analysingan array of four light sensors (RGB and IR) and two spectrometers. A reusable cluster algorithm determined autonomously onboard an overview image of the surface with marked areas depending on the type of the surface. Furthermore, the algorithm’s data base was generated and optimized before and during flight. Regarding the hardware a modular sensor framework with standardized interfaces was implemented. The project has been a successful step to the designated target to build an autonomous system which could be used in interplanetary missions with demanding constraints on the bandwidth.