MR Vision_Micro-Radar Vision System for Planetary Navigation & Hazard Detection

The “MR Vision” project will demonstrate how mm-wave radar can enable autonomous navigation for planetary mobility. In this project, we will integrate the Aloft “micro-Radar Vision System” (µRVS) with the K-REX2 planetary rover and assess navigation capabilities in the Roverscape. The µRVS is the size of a smartphone and derives from automotive radar components. K-REX2 has been used for many planetary analog tests and VIPER navigation engineering. The planned tests will leverage new K-REX2 software and infrastructure being developed for the RTMD “LIDAR LAUNCHER” project. Radar is widely used by the autonomous vehicle industry but has yet to be applied to planetary mobility. Radar can overcome limitations of cameras and lidar, particularly in difficult lighting conditions and when there are obscurants, such as dust. Moreover, radar combined with interferometry algorithms can provide accurate localization, hazard detection, and terrain mapping.

Demonstrate a navigation sensor that performs well independent of environmental lighting, that can robustly detect obstacles and terrain hazards (including negative features), and that facilitates both absolute and relative localization

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.