Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to generate a synthetic point cloud of a spacecraft. An example apparatus includes a point cloud generator to generate a first synthetic point cloud of a first simulated space vehicle based on a simulated illumination source and a simulated image sensor, where the simulated illumination source and the simulated image sensor is operatively coupled to a second simulated space vehicle at a first position, where the simulated image sensor measures a parameter of the first simulated space vehicle, where the simulated illumination source uses a first configuration. The example apparatus further includes a pose determiner to determine a first pose of the simulated illumination source based on a first difference between the first synthetic point cloud and a reference synthetic point cloud using a first registration method, and a command generator to generate a command to move the second simulated space vehicle from the first position to a second position based on the first pose.