Advanced Guidance & Navigation Systems (AGNS)

The Advanced Guidance and Navigation Systems (AGNS) portfolio project focuses on the development and maturation of algorithms, sensors, and related data products and tools to improve the state of the art of both precision landing and aerocapture. The infusion targets include both Lunar and Mars missions, with an intent to develop as common a technology base for both when possible. AGNS is set up to identify, investigate, and execute research, development activities as individual elements within the project and support the transition of these technologies to the commercial sector. Although planetary landing precision has improved substantially over the last 20 years, future lunar and Mars missions and architectures will require at least another order of magnitude improvement. Advancements in sensors and computational capabilities are critical, but the software and algorithms that connect the measurements together robustly are an additional challenge. Advancing these integrated systems requires a continuum of test techniques, from hardware-in-the-loop simulations to laboratory testbeds to suborbital platforms that can mimic planetary approaches. The project also encompasses associated environmental and performance testing associated with Technology Readiness Level (TRL) advancements to rapidly develop and commercialize these new technologies. Current focus areas include the implementation and transition of two key precision landing and hazard avoidance sensors: the Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL) and the Exploration Lidar Sensor Assembly (ELSA). Public-private partnerships are common and continue to have high potential in this portfolio due to synergies with terrestrial applications and the cross-cutting nature of the sensors and techniques to support a wide range of destinations and vehicle implementations.

The advancements described in the project overview aim to expand surface accessibility and reduce mission-level risks for future public and private robotic science and human exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and other solar system destinations. The use of precision landing and hazard avoidance enables access to sites of high scientific or exploration interest, supports placing assets close to each other for sustained and repeated operations to the surface, and ensures crew and vehicle safety. The AGNS mission includes rapidly advancing low TRL technologies, that are needed for to perform the Guidance and Navigation required for successfully landing on the Moon and Mars. This portfolio project aims to seed low TRL research and rapidly develop technologies through the TRL valley of death to the point where they can be utilized on upcoming missions and commercialized. The portfolio is nearing that milestone for two key precision landing and hazard avoidance sensors and is continuing that strategy for other technologies in the pipeline targeted toward closing the gap on advancements needed to land on the Moon and on Mars.

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.