LUNA Sensor Validates Precision Navigation for Lunar Missions
Advanced Navigation has announced the successful terrestrial validation of its LUNA (Laser Unit for Navigation Aid) sensor, demonstrating reliable and precise navigation in Moon-simulated environments without GPS. This accomplishment meets and exceeds Intuitive Machines' requirements for their upcoming IM-4 mission, set to carry six NASA payloads to Mons Mouton near the Moon's South Pole in 2028.
This milestone qualifies LUNA as the first sensor ready to support lunar landings. Powered by AI and autonomous capabilities, it enables precise lunar exploration in challenging, GPS-denied environments. Developed in Australia, LUNA sets a new standard for navigation on the Moon, addressing harsh conditions such as low lighting, craters, and a thin atmosphere.
The sensor utilizes lasers to provide real-time velocity and altitude data directly above the Moon's surface, which is crucial for controlled lunar landings. Weighing around 2.8kg, LUNA uniquely delivers high performance in a form factor eight times smaller than competing technology. Additionally, it is designed to replace Intuitive Machines' NOVA-C lunar lander's in-house sensors, decreasing the lander's mass.
Chris Shaw, CEO and Co-founder of Advanced Navigation, declared, “For decades, landing on the Moon has meant flying with only partial vision in the final kilometres. With no GPS to guide them, landers depend on a combination of sensors that can introduce drift or deliver incomplete data – turning every descent into a high-stakes calculation where a single error could mean mission failure.“
He continued, “Our LUNA sensor aims to give lunar landers and rovers hyper-accurate ‘laser vision’ to see their own speed and position in the darkness of space, potentially making crashes a thing of the past and paving the way for safe, autonomous exploration. The technology delivers the predictability, reliability, and precision missions need.“
To demonstrate LUNA’s capabilities, testing consisted of descent trials and surface rover navigation. During testing, A LUNA sensor was flown over Western Australia’s Pinnacles Desert, mimicking the environment of a lunar regolith. This simulated the high-speed dynamics of the Moon’s final 5 km descent. In these GPS-denied flights, the sensor achieved an error of only 28 meters over a 100-kilometer flight.Additional tests in Finland’s deepest mine simulated lunar crater conditions for rover navigation. LUNA demonstrated high 3D accuracy, even outperforming GPS, confirming its precision in signal-denied environments and readiness for lunar missions.
Having exceeded Intuitive Machines’ requirements, LUNA is now cleared for final space qualification and integration onto the IM-4 mission—its last milestone before official lunar deployment. This achievement builds on extensive design and testing for LUNA’s core components. For example, the AAO LUNA Optical Head Assembly (ALOHA), a critical optical telescope set developed by the Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO), has been fully space-qualified.
Further detailing this, Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO) achieved full space qualification for ALOHA. Lee Spitler, Head of Space Projects at AAO, commented, “We’ve battle-hardened our ALOHA system to survive the intense journey to the Moon. Its four space-qualified telescopes deliver the laser beams that power the LUNA sensors’ sight, providing the critical velocity and range data the Nova-C lander needs to stick the landing.“ With these proven foundational components, the full LUNA sensor will soon undergo its final integrated trials. Certification tests include shock and vibration trials to simulate a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch, EMC testing to military standards, and thermal vacuum trials to ensure mission-ready performance in the extremes of space.
LUNA is a foundational technology for autonomous exploration in extreme, uncharted environments. By providing precise navigation without GPS, it enables long-range rover traverses and robotic resource prospecting. LUNA also lays the groundwork for sustainable human and robotic presence on the Moon and future missions.
Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agency, stated, “The LUNA sensor is a testament to the talent and innovation within the Australian space sector and paves the way for our nation to play an even greater role in the future of lunar exploration.” The sensor’s terrestrial applications extend its capabilities to critical industries, from autonomous underground vehicles to low-altitude uncrewed aerial vehicles. In these cases, precise and reliable navigation is essential. The commercial LUNA sensor delivers the same accurate motion data as its space counterpart, enabling autonomous operation for platforms operating in challenging environments worldwide. Building on its rigorous testing campaign, a terrestrial version of LUNA is being integrated with
Advanced Navigation stated that their strategic-grade Boreas INS will be commercially available in late 2025. This hybrid navigation system will deliver the same high-precision performance as LUNAR for air and ground in environments on Earth that otherwise lack GPS.