Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #32472: Advancing Autonomous Navigation: Smartphone Video Guidance Sensor-2

Building on the success of the original Smartphone Video Guidance Sensor (SVGS), NASA and Florida Institute of Technology returned with SVGS-2—an enhanced version tested during Expedition 73. This next-generation system refined the original's capability for tracking and navigation, crucial for autonomous space operations.

Under Dr. Hector Gutierrez’s guidance, SVGS-2 continued using off-the-shelf smartphone cameras to identify infrared marker patterns and calculate distances and orientations in real time. What made SVGS-2 different? It featured improved software for faster processing, increased precision, and better performance in low-light conditions.

The experiment targeted key upgrades necessary for practical applications such as satellite servicing, proximity operations, and formation flying. During ISS testing, astronauts evaluated SVGS-2 by monitoring simulated docking tasks and close-range maneuvers between test objects.

One of the major breakthroughs was demonstrating the ability of SVGS-2 to operate in cluttered and dynamic environments, making it suitable for on-orbit inspections and servicing missions. This is vital as we move toward building and maintaining infrastructure in orbit.

The project also helped advance algorithms that could be used on Earth in autonomous robotics and logistics systems, bridging the gap between space and terrestrial innovation.

SVGS-2 proved that a compact, smartphone-based system can provide reliable, autonomous navigation—setting the stage for smarter, smaller, and more independent spacecraft in the future.

Join the Agnirva Space Internship Program

Get certified with over 100 hours of immersive, self-paced learning in cosmology, space technology, and climate science through the Agnirva Space Internship Program. Join, complete virtual projects, and earn a digital certificate to showcase your space fluency in interviews, resumes, and beyond.