NASA has successfully demonstrated a guidance system designed to allow spacecraft to autonomously navigate to safe landing sites on the Moon and other planets, the agency announced. An Alta-X drone equipped with the Safe and Precise Landing, Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) payload completed simulated lunar descent and landing maneuvers on August 27 at Rogers Dry Lake near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.
The SPLICE system uses an advanced guidance system to map terrain and assess potential landing areas. If the targeted area is deemed unsafe, the system can divert the drone to a safer location. It generates high-resolution digital elevation maps from light-detection and sensor data.
Developed by researchers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the SPLICE payload was integrated and tested aboard the Alta-X drone in June and July. Those tests verified communications, data handling, telemetry, and command-control performance to prepare for a full-scale test at Voyager Technologies in Mojave, California. NASA said the system will help spacecraft land precisely and detect and avoid potential hazards, a critical capability for missions to the Moon and Mars.
“This flight test is the culmination of almost a decade of work, for the SPLICE project,” said Davis Adams, NASA project manager. “This flight raised the technology readiness level, priming it for integration into future robotic and crewed lunar flights. Validation of the guidance and navigation systems are applicable to terrestrial, lunar, and Martian descent and landing missions.”
Adams said NASA is coordinating with industry on the system’s use once it becomes available in the NASA software catalog, planned for this fall. “Some of the companies also are evaluating the system’s navigation capabilities for precision landing applications, as well as potential extensions for autonomous surface mobility,” he said.
NASA has worked with commercial lunar lander providers to implement iterations of SPLICE into their platforms, and several landers slated for upcoming Moon Base missions use data collected by NASA through the development of systems like SPLICE to execute soft touchdowns on the lunar surface.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Enables spacecraft to land autonomously and avoid hazards, increasing mission safety for future Moon and Mars landings
- Commercial lunar lander providers are already incorporating SPLICE data, meaning the technology may directly support upcoming Moon Base missions
- The system's guidance and navigation validation applies to terrestrial, lunar, and Martian descent and landing, expanding its potential use
Background
NASA's SPLICE project began development nearly a decade ago at the Johnson Space Center. Early flight testing through the agency's Flight Opportunities project, including a 2019 descent-altitude and landing-trajectory test and a 2020 demonstration of two precision-landing sensor systems, helped advance its technology readiness level. The latest test aboard an Alta-X drone marks a key step toward integrating the system into operational spacecraft.
What to Watch
- The planned full-scale test at Voyager Technologies in Mojave, California, which will further validate the system
- The release of the SPLICE guidance system in the NASA software catalog this fall, which will allow commercial providers to license it
- Upcoming Moon Base missions that may rely on SPLICE for precision landing and hazard avoidance
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedNASA demonstrated an autonomous landing system for Moon and Mars missions.NASA: “NASA successfully demonstrated technology designed to help spacecraft autonomously navigate to safe landing sites on the Moon and on other planets.”
- SupportedThe SPLICE payload was tested on a drone, paving the way for precision landings.NASA: “SPLICE will help spacecraft land precisely and detect and avoid potential hazards”
- SupportedNASA demonstrated technology intended to help spacecraft autonomously navigate to safe landing sites on the Moon and other planets.NASA: “NASA successfully demonstrated technology designed to help spacecraft autonomously navigate to safe landing sites on the Moon and on other planets.”
- SupportedAn Alta-X equipped with SPLICE completed simulated lunar descent and landing maneuvers on August 27 at Rogers Dry Lake near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA: “An Alta-X drone equipped with the agency’s Safe and Precise Landing – Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) guidance, navigation, and control payload completed simulated lunar descent and landing maneuvers Aug. 27. The flight took place at Rogers Dry Lake near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.”
- SupportedDuring the tests, SPLICE mapped terrain and assessed potential landing areas using an advanced guidance system.NASA: “During the tests, the SPLICE payload used an advanced guidance system to map the terrain and assess potential landing areas.”
- SupportedIf the targeted landing area is unsafe, the system diverts the drone to a safer location.NASA: “If the system determines the targeted landing area is unsafe, the system diverts the drone to a safer location.”
- SupportedThe system generates high-resolution digital elevation maps from light-detection and sensor data.NASA: “The system generates high-resolution digital elevation maps from light-detection and sensor data.”
- SupportedResearchers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston developed SPLICE and partnered with NASA Armstrong specialists to integrate, test and fly it aboard the Alta-X in June and July.NASA: “Researchers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston developed the SPLICE payload and partnered with specialists at NASA Armstrong to integrate, test, and fly it aboard the Alta-X drone in June and July.”
- SupportedThe June and July tests verified communications, data handling, telemetry and command-control performance to prepare for a full-scale test at Voyager Technologies in Mojave, California.NASA: “Those tests verified communications, data handling, telemetry, and command- control performance between the SPLICE payload and the drone to prepare for a full-scale test at Voyager Technologies in Mojave, California, later this month.”
- SupportedAdams said, “This flight test is the culmination of almost a decade of work, for the SPLICE project.”NASA: ““This flight test is the culmination of almost a decade of work, for the SPLICE project,” said Davis Adams, NASA project manager.”
- SupportedAdams said, “This flight raised the technology readiness level, priming it for integration into future robotic and crewed lunar flights.”NASA: ““This flight raised the technology readiness level, priming it for integration into future robotic and crewed lunar flights.””
- SupportedAdams said, “Validation of the guidance and navigation systems are applicable to terrestrial, lunar, and Martian descent and landing missions.”NASA: ““Validation of the guidance and navigation systems are applicable to terrestrial, lunar, and Martian descent and landing missions.””