Simulation of Images and Digital Terrain Models for the Mission BepiColombo

BepiColombo mission will provide Digital Terrain Models of the surface of Mercury by means of the stereo channel of the SIMBIO-SYS (Spectrometer and Imaging for MPO BepiColombo Integrated Observatory SYStem) imaging package onboard. The work here described presents a novel approach for the creation of higher resolution stereo products using the high-resolution channel of SIMBIO-SYS. Being the camera rigidly integrated with the spacecraft, this latter must be tilted to acquire stereo pairs necessary for the 3D reconstruction. A new method for image simulation and stereo reconstruction is presented in this work, where the input data are chosen as closely as possible to the real mission parameters. Different simulations are executed changing the illumination conditions and the stereo angles. The Digital Terrain Models obtained are evaluated and an analysis of the best acquisition conditions is performed, helping to improve the image acquisition strategy of BepiColombo mission. In addition, a strategy for the creation of a mosaic from different images acquired with the high resolution channel of SIMBIO-SYS is explained, giving the possibility to obtain tridimensional products of extended targets.