# Star Tracking using an Event Camera

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1812.02895 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1812.02895/

## Key facts

- Cited by 30 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 7 Dec 2018.

## Built on by (most cited first, 30 of 30)

- [CMax-SLAM: Event-based Rotational-Motion Bundle Adjustment and SLAM System using Contrast Maximization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.08119/) (2024)
- [Spatiotemporal Registration for Event-based Visual Odometry](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2103.05955/) (2021)
- [Towards Bridging the Space Domain Gap for Satellite Pose Estimation using Event Sensing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2209.11945/) (2022)
- [How Many Events do You Need? Event-based Visual Place Recognition Using Sparse But Varying Pixels](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2206.13673/) (2022)
- [Stereo Event-based, 6-DOF Pose Tracking for Uncooperative Spacecraft](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.12732/) (2025)
- [Asynchronous Blob Tracker for Event Cameras](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.10593/) (2023)
- [Advances in Global Solvers for 3D Vision](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.14662/) (2026)
- [Neuromorphic Computing and Sensing in Space](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.05236/) (2022)
- [A Neuromorphic Vision-Based Measurement for Robust Relative Localization in Future Space Exploration Missions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2206.11541/) (2022)
- [Globally Optimal Event-Based Divergence Estimation for Ventral Landing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2209.13168/) (2022)
- [Superevents: Towards Native Semantic Segmentation for Event-based Cameras](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2105.06091/) (2021)
- [Event-based Mosaicing Bundle Adjustment](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.07365/) (2024)
- [Optimality Principles in Spacecraft Neural Guidance and Control](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.13078/) (2023)
- [Event-based Structure-from-Orbit](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.06216/) (2024)
- [Test-Time Certifiable Self-Supervision to Bridge the Sim2Real Gap in Event-Based Satellite Pose Estimation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.06240/) (2024)
- [Event-based Photometric Bundle Adjustment](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.14111/) (2024)
- [Hardware, Algorithms, and Applications of the Neuromorphic Vision Sensor: a Review](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.08588/) (2025)
- [A Double Deep Learning-based Solution for Efficient Event Data Coding and Classification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.15531/) (2024)
- [Event-based Star Tracking under Spacecraft Jitter: the e-STURT Dataset](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.12588/) (2025)
- [Deep Space Weather Model: Long-Range Solar Flare Prediction from Multi-Wavelength Images](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.07847/) (2025)
- [A Preliminary Research on Space Situational Awareness Based on Event Cameras](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.13093/) (2022)
- [EBS-EKF: Accurate and High Frequency Event-based Star Tracking](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.20101/) (2025)
- [Event-RGB Fusion for Spacecraft Pose Estimation Under Harsh Lighting](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.05698/) (2025)
- [Correspondence-Free Fast and Robust Spherical Point Pattern Registration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.02339/) (2025)
- [Benchmarking Deep Learning-Based Object Detection Models on Feature Deficient Astrophotography Imagery Dataset](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.06537/) (2025)
- [Efficient Onboard Spacecraft Pose Estimation with Event Cameras and Neuromorphic Hardware](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.04117/) (2026)
- [Tracking Particles Ejected From Active Asteroid Bennu With Event-Based Vision](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.06819/) (2023)
- [Spike-based Neuromorphic Computing for Next-Generation Computer Vision](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.09692/) (2023)
- [Mixing Data-driven and Geometric Models for Satellite Docking Port State Estimation using an RGB or Event Camera](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.15581/) (2024)
- [Quantifying Accuracy of an Event-Based Star Tracker via Earth's Rotation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.08794/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Star trackers are primarily optical devices that are used to estimate the attitude of a spacecraft by recognising and tracking star patterns. Currently, most star trackers use conventional optical sensors. In this application paper, we propose the usage of event sensors for star tracking. There are potentially two benefits of using event sensors for star tracking: lower power consumption and higher operating speeds. Our main contribution is to formulate an algorithmic pipeline for star tracking from event data that includes novel formulations of rotation averaging and bundle adjustment. In addition, we also release with this paper a dataset for star tracking using event cameras. With this work, we introduce the problem of star tracking using event cameras to the computer vision community, whose expertise in SLAM and geometric optimisation can be brought to bear on this commercially important application.