NASA tests autonomous landing system for lunar missions
Science · First reported 5 Nov, 22:03 · Updated 22:25
A NASA-developed system that maps terrain and redirects a drone from hazardous landing areas completed simulated lunar descent tests in California. The trial is intended to prepare the technology for further testing and possible use on future robotic and crewed missions.
- An Alta-X drone fitted with NASA’s Splice system completed simulated lunar descent and landing manoeuvres in the Mojave Desert in August.
- The system uses sensor data to create elevation maps and can redirect a craft if it identifies hazards at the planned landing site.
- NASA said the trials assessed communications, data handling and command-control performance ahead of a full-scale test planned for later this month.
Summary written by Lux AI from 2 articles
Key facts
- System
- Safe and Precise Landing – Integrated Capabilities Evolution (Splice)
- Test location
- Mojave Desert, California
- Test vehicle
- Alta-X drone
- Further test
- A full-scale test was planned for later this month.
- NASA timeline
- The agency aims to land people on the Moon in 2028 and have a lunar outpost operating by 2032.
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Background
- An earlier Lux story reported that Artemis II’s launch and upper-stage engine burns produced ionospheric disturbances and altered GPS signals, with possible implications for precise navigation. [6ee0a6ad-6ff7-444a-ba87-e3b10a8da356]
- Another earlier Lux headline concerned NASA’s experimental X-70 Fractal aircraft; the supplied record gives no further details about that story. [53ea46d4-0912-439c-afed-096e0591f7ce]
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