Science

NASA navigation experiment shows promise for planetary landings

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Briefings

NASA successfully demonstrated autonomous landing technology using an Alta-X drone equipped with the Safe and Precise Landing Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) guidance system. The flight occurred on August 27 at Rogers Dry Lake near the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, completing simulated lunar descent and landing maneuvers.

Key points

• An Alta-X drone equipped with the Safe and Precise Landing Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) guidance system completed simulated lunar descent and landing maneuvers on August 27.
• The flight took place at Rogers Dry Lake near NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.

Context

This experiment validates a new guidance system designed for spacecraft to navigate to safe landing sites on the moon and other planets, marking a significant step in planetary landings capabilities.

Limitations

Evidence is limited to a single simulated flight on August 27 at Rogers Dry Lake near the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. No real-world planetary landings occurred, and the technology's performance in uncontrolled environments remains untested.

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