Long-Distance Autonomous LiDAR-Based Terrain Relative Navigation in a Subterranean Proving Ground

We request 0.24FTE and $2K ODC to further develop high-rate autonomous surface mobility and navigation technologies within Cathedral Caverns State Park, in collaboration with Alabama State Parks. The team will demonstrate long-distance autonomous GPS-denied terrain relative navigation using hardware slated to fly as a tech demo to the lunar surface on an Astrolabs rover in November 2025, as well as deliver a high resolution, high accuracy digital twin of the environment. The Cathedral Caverns cave environment is a necessary proving ground as GPS-denial, relevant illumination and geomorphology similar to martian and lunar surfaces, and complex topography are required for robust navigation algorithm testing. The project will lead to future long-distance demonstrations of swarm robotics and surface-based logistics management and continued quantitative assessment and iterative improvement of mobile mapping LiDAR systems and LiDAR-based Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN). Execution of this project could augment the LiDAR Launcher STMD New Start (January 2025) between MSFC and ARC and shift focus to MSFC's testing expertise. The team will establish georeferenced control points, visible on LiDAR, at a myriad of locations within the caverns. The caverns will then be scanned with MSFC's KNaCK LIDAR instrument and the control points used to construct a ground truth map with cm scale resolution and sub-meter accuracy. Following completion of the ground truth map, LiDAR-equipped rover platforms (previous STMD/center investments), will autonomously traverse over a kilometer through the cave using terrain relative navigation algorithms being developed in house by EV42 and ST13. These tests will assess and elevate the readiness of the hardware and algorithms necessary to implement TRN on roving assets destined for Mars and the Moon. Permission to conduct this work has been approved by Alabama State Parks (with no promise of execution) and a Research Permit has been issued.

Relevant analog environments more expansive than the Lunar Regolith Terrain Field and closer to MSFC than established terrestrial analogs is needed to expedite development of surface mobility and navigation systems. This proposal will fill that need.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — 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.