The Astrobotic company has successfully completed testing of the innovative LUNA sensor (Laser Ultra-precise Navigation Antenna), which is designed to replace the missing GPS on the moon to ensure a soft and precise landing.
Unlike traditional radar equipment, LUNA uses laser interferometry. This allows the device to determine its speed and altitude with unprecedented accuracy, ignoring obstacles in the form of space dust, which is often lifted by the engines during landing.
Key advantages of the sensor:
Accuracy "to a centimeter": The laser rangefinder allows landing in difficult areas, such as crater rims or near lunar bases, where a deviation of even a few meters can be critical.
Dust resistance: Traditional cameras and lidars can be "blinded" by the dust cloud during descent. LUNA is designed like this, to maintain signal stability even in poor visibility conditions.
Light weight and energy efficiency: The sensor is much lighter than its counterparts, which is critical for saving fuel when flying to the moon.
The development is part of a broader initiative to build lunar infrastructure. Without reliable navigation, regular cargo flights of the NASA Artemis program or the construction of future manned modules are impossible.
The tests were conducted in the Mojave Desert aboard Masten Space Systems' Xodiac subordinate launch vehicle (now Astrobotic), where the sensor demonstrated 100% accuracy when simulating a lunar descent.
Source: https://lookintothe.space