Code 587 Technologies and Products

Lunar Navigation Determination System (LaNDS)

Principal Investigator (PI)

• Troy Ames/Code 587
• Troy.J.Ames@nasa.gov

Description and Objectives

• Robotic & human explorers will need to precisely determine their location and heading while conducting short duration exploration sorties and long distance / long duration lunar surface traverses.
• Develop and demonstrate a self-contained, celestial-based lunar surface navigation technology to determine position and bearing on the lunar surface that neither relies on other information sources nor the existence of a lunar communications infrastructure.

Technical Approach

• Leverage available components:
  • GSFC GEONS ( GPS-Enhanced Onboard Navigation System) navigation software
  • Celestial Navigation (CelNAV) algorithm
  • ILIADS (Integrated Lunar Information Architecture for Decision Support)
  • Lunar GIS (Geographic Information System) software
  • Celestron's SkyScout celestial body locator
• SkyScout output drives integrated GEONS-CelNav algorithms to establish position state.
• ILIADS displays lunar surface position and uncertainty.

Main Innovation(s)

• Prototype lunar surface navigation system that can be used anywhere on the lunar surface.
• Potential to provide a reliable, easy to use navigation capability without reliance on a space-based lunar geolocation satellite system or a lunar surface communications infrastructure.

Infusion Potential

• Potential for designing/developing a prototype hand-held unit.
• Integration into Lunar Electric Rover (LER) and EVA suits.