Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention implement a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for the use of a robotic arm for momentum unloading and orbit control. In some instances, a panel is attached to the end of a robotic arm. It is positioned, in angle and position, to optimize unloading. The robot arm can move about the spacecraft, giving additional degrees of freedom. The panel can be stowed when necessary.

Abstract: A method for the extraction of shadows in noisy images includes capture of an image, subdivision of the image into a plurality of pixels, definition of a square odd matrix for every pixel having said pixel in the center, application of an algorithm to the matrixes of every pixel, and displaying of an error map of the image. The algorithm is a contour algorithm that includes the operations of =computation of the averages for each corner of the matrix, computation of the averages for the top, bottom, left and right sides, computation of the maximum variance between these eight averages, and comparison with a present value (max variance).

Abstract: A method for the extraction of shadows in noisy images includes capture of an image, subdivision of the image into a plurality of pixels, definition of a square odd matrix for every pixel having said pixel in the center, application of an algorithm to the matrixes of every pixel, and displaying of an error map of the image. The algorithm is a contour algorithm that includes the operaitons of = computation of the averages for each corner of the matrix, computation of the averages for the top, bottom, left and right sides, computation of the maximum variance between these eight averages, and comparison with a present value (max variance).