# Real-Time Spacecraft Pose Estimation Using Mixed-Precision Quantized Neural Network on COTS Reconfigurable MPSoC

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.06170 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.06170/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 17 of its 29 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 6 Jun 2024.

## Builds on (most cited first, 17 of 17)

- [MobileNetV2: Inverted Residuals and Linear Bottlenecks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1801.04381/) (2018)
- [ConvNeXt V2: Co-designing and Scaling ConvNets with Masked Autoencoders](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.00808/) (2023)
- [HAQ: Hardware-Aware Automated Quantization with Mixed Precision](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1811.08886/) (2018)
- [HAWQ: Hessian AWare Quantization of Neural Networks with Mixed-Precision](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1905.03696/) (2019)
- [Satellite Pose Estimation Challenge: Dataset, Competition Design and Results](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1911.02050/) (2019)
- [FINN-R: An End-to-End Deep-Learning Framework for Fast Exploration of Quantized Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1809.04570/) (2018)
- [Satellite Pose Estimation with Deep Landmark Regression and Nonlinear Pose Refinement](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1908.11542/) (2019)
- [Deep Learning for Spacecraft Pose Estimation from Photorealistic Rendering](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1907.04298/) (2019)
- [Mixed-Precision Neural Network Quantization via Learned Layer-wise Importance](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.08368/) (2022)
- [Wide-Depth-Range 6D Object Pose Estimation in Space](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2104.00337/) (2021)
- [Pose Estimation for Non-Cooperative Rendezvous Using Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1906.09868/) (2019)
- [Real-Time, Flight-Ready, Non-Cooperative Spacecraft Pose Estimation Using Monocular Imagery](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2101.09553/) (2021)
- [CA-SpaceNet: Counterfactual Analysis for 6D Pose Estimation in Space](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.07869/) (2022)
- [Mixed-Precision Neural Networks: A Survey](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.06064/) (2022)
- [BARVINN: Arbitrary Precision DNN Accelerator Controlled by a RISC-V CPU](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.00290/) (2022)
- [Mobile-URSONet: an Embeddable Neural Network for Onboard Spacecraft Pose Estimation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2205.02065/) (2022)
- [Deep Learning for Real Time Satellite Pose Estimation on Low Power Edge TPU](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.03296/) (2022)

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [NeRF-based Visualization of 3D Cues Supporting Data-Driven Spacecraft Pose Estimation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.14890/) (2025)
- [Event-RGB Fusion for Spacecraft Pose Estimation Under Harsh Lighting](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.05698/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

This article presents a pioneering approach to real-time spacecraft pose estimation, utilizing a mixed-precision quantized neural network implemented on the FPGA components of a commercially available Xilinx MPSoC, renowned for its suitability in space applications. Our co-design methodology includes a novel evaluation technique for assessing the layer-wise neural network sensitivity to quantization, facilitating an optimal balance between accuracy, latency, and FPGA resource utilization. Utilizing the FINN library, we developed a bespoke FPGA dataflow accelerator that integrates on-chip weights and activation functions to minimize latency and energy consumption. Our implementation is 7.7 times faster and 19.5 times more energy-efficient than the best-reported values in the existing spacecraft pose estimation literature. Furthermore, our contribution includes the first real-time, open-source implementation of such algorithms, marking a significant advancement in making efficient spacecraft pose estimation algorithms widely accessible. The source code is available at https://github.com/possoj/FPGA-SpacePose.