Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE)

This project supported the joint NASA/ASI (Italian Space Agency) “Do No Harm” mission that received and characterized GNSS signals at cislunar distances, including on the lunar surface. It flew on the CLPS 19D flight on the Firefly Blue Ghost 1 commercial lander, launched 1-15-25, and landed on the moon on 3-2-2025. The LuGRE experiment was 100% successful as the receiver met all performance criteria at the minimum, full, and augmented levels for cislunar and lunar surface ops. The experiment concluded on 3-16-25.

This project supported the development and flight of the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment receiver.

The objectives of the LuGRE project were to:

• OBJECTIVE 1: Receive GNSS signals at the Moon. Return data and characterize the lunar GNSS signal environment.
• OBJECTIVE 2: Demonstrate navigation and time estimation using GNSS data collected at the Moon.
• OBJECTIVE 3: Utilize collected data to support development of GNSS receivers specific to lunar use.

Lunar GNSS feasibility has been demonstrated through high fidelity simulations conducted by the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program. Operational use of GPS has been demonstrated half-way to the moon on the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. LuGRE was the first to demonstrate GNSS feasibility on a live mission at even higher altitudes, including in Lunar orbit and on the Lunar surface.

Provides characterization of GNSS signals at the moon for improved navigation performance.

• Provides a low SWAP GNSS receiver for real-time navigation and timing for LEO, GEO, HEO, and cislunar/lunar space missions to enable guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) and science
• Leverages existing always-on Earth-based infrastructure for navigation and timing
• Reduces network loading and increase onboard mission capability
• Enables crewed autonomous navigation and timing in the event of loss of communication
• Enables real-time, on-board PNT distribution

This is a mature technology (TRL 8) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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.