Onboard Adaptive Safe Site Identification System, Year 3 (OASSIS)

OASSIS year 3 innovates with three goals: 1) transition to a generic configuration compatible with GNC flight software, 2) implement a new, computationally-efficient TRN algorithm for lunar landing, and 3) integrate with the HWIL testbed to validate lunar landing GNC systems. This project enables lunar lander GNC flight software to be tested dynamically without the need of a costly flight campaign and without the risk of catastrophic hardware loss. Additionally, the TRN algorithm development and testing enhances the state-of-the-art in pinpoint landing navigation, ultimately improving the overall landing accuracy, safety, and reliability of a crewed lunar landing mission.

Technology Gap Being Addressed Precision landing technologies are being developed under the SPLICE project. While SPLICE has specific milestones for hardware and algorithm development, and planned flight tests, there is still a gap in our ability to test on the ground, which would speed up development pace and aid in the planning for expensive flight tests. SPLICE does not currently have scope for any R&D work on future feature detection or feature-based navigation algorithms.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — 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.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.