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Completed TRL 6 (started at 4, targeting 6)
This project matured critical technologies that enable precision and soft landing on the Moon. The project team integrated TRN, navigation doppler lidar, and altimetry sensors and conducted two flight tests prior to lunar mission implementation. Testing was performed at approximately 100 km altitude on board the Blue Origin New Shepard vertical takeoff vertical landing suborbital vehicle. This project completed in calendar year 2021 with each sensor achieving various levels of performance. Several of the sensors are manifested to be tested on CLPS missions in the future.
Flight demonstration of NASA developed descent and landing sensor technology. Flight will demonstrate sensor performance and operations in a relevant or comparable descent and landing environment. Blue Origin seeks enable a future where millions of people are living and working in space. One of the services that we seek to offer is cost-effective, repeatable delivery of several metric tons of payload to the lunar surface. This capability depends upon a variety of technologies including affordable and robust suites of descent and landing sensors, which will enable the Blue Moon lander to offer customers a diversity of landing site options, including eventually landing in shadowed regions. Blue Moon is an immediate commercial application of this DDL technology maturation. A successful collaboration between Blue Origin and NASA reduces the anticipated recurring cost of lunar orbit and lunar surface transportation services.
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.
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