Issued patent
Lunar Surface Navigation System
An issued NASA patent from the Technology Transfer catalog.
About this technology
Overview
Scientists at NASA’s Langley Research Center have developed a novel concept for a lunar navigation system based on the reverse-ephemeris technique. Typically, range related signal measurements from the earth’s surface are used to locate and track orbital objects (satellites) and establish the ephemeris describing their orbits. For this reverse-ephemeris lunar navigation concept, the process is reversed to give lunar surface position fixes using the known ephemeris of a satellite in lunar orbit. Only a few inexpensive smallsats are required in order to implement a lunar navigation system based on this concept. Lunar navigation systems will be needed for future moon missions, including for example for rover navigation, mining operations, exploration, etc. The inventors have conducted analytical simulations to demonstrate the versatility of this innovation when used to support route determination for various autonomous or manned lunar surface operations.