The team at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has been refining their optical navigation software, GIANT, which played a crucial role in guiding the OSIRIS-REx mission to the asteroid Bennu.
Optical navigation uses visual data from cameras or other sensors to navigate, similar to how humans do. The GIANT software analyzes these visual data to provide vital information like distance to the target and helps in developing three-dimensional maps of potential landing zones. The technology reduces the need for ground-based staff and makes missions more cost-effective.
The team is now working on enhancements, including celestial navigation capabilities and planning tools to streamline mission design.
The software is also being adapted for a variety of applications, including guiding rovers and human explorers on the Moon and other planets.
Photo credit: NASA
+ There are no comments
Add yours