Flyover Mapping and Modeling of Terrain Features

The program will design, fabricate, test and fly a multi-modal, high-resolution mapping instrument to characterize pits, craters, and other convex features in flight. The instrument will fly on a Suborbital Reusable Launch Vehicle to an altitude of 600 m and map a 225 km2 area with cross-registered color, depth, temperature and magnetic field.

NIAC Phase III award (June 11, 2019): Robotic Technologies Enabling the Exploration of Lunar Pits
More information:
Rocket Launched Testing Sensors for Future Lunar Mission
Bloomberg article

Related:
Complementary Flyover and Rover Sensing for Superior Modeling of Planetary Features (2012)
NIAC 2011 Phase I Award

The ability to modelize planetary surface craters remotely will allow future reconnaissance flyover missions to map a surface and identify future exploration sites. It will benefit future NASA missions to the Moon, Mars and other bodies inside the Solar System.

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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