Landing LIDAR
Flash LIDAR for Terrain-Relative Navigation
The Landing LIDAR is an 8-kilogram, 50-watt optical instrument that captures a full three-dimensional terrain image per pulse to provide terrain-relative navigation and hazard-relative descent guidance for cargo landers. Operating at ranges up to 5 kilometers with a 10-centimeter resolution at 1 kilometer altitude, the sensor uses a solid-state laser and radiation-hardened FPGA to match surface topography against crater rim elevation models. Operation is heavily challenged by lunar dust raised by descent engines during touchdown, requiring multi-spectral aids and long-life laser diodes to maintain tracking through plumes over a 15-year operational lifetime.
Flash LIDAR providing terrain-relative navigation and hazard-relative descent guidance during cargo lander approaches to the Ark.
Purpose
Flash LIDAR providing terrain-relative navigation and hazard-relative descent guidance during cargo lander approaches to the Ark.
Context
Child of L2-NAV-LAND within the Lunar Ark system
Principles
- ▸Flash LIDAR captures full 3D terrain image per pulse
- ▸Resolution ~10 cm at 1 km altitude
- ▸Used for terrain-relative navigation (TRN) and hazard detection
- ▸Per NASA SPLICE / Morpheus heritage
- ▸Long-life solid-state laser source
Typical implementations
- ▸NASA SPLICE (Safe and Precise Landing Integrated Capabilities Evolution)
- ▸Morpheus lander flash LIDAR heritage
- ▸Mars 2020 LVS heritage
- ▸ESA PILOT lander system
Lunar considerations
- ▸Lunar dust raised by descent engine challenges LIDAR — multi-spectral aids
- ▸Long-life laser diode required
- ▸Coordinated with crater rim DEM
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Flash LIDAR providing terrain-relative navigation and hazard-relative descent guidance during cargo lander approaches to the Ark. |
| range km | 5 |
| resolution m at 1km | 0.1 |
Physical
| mass kg | 8 |
| materials | Flash LIDAR sensor, Solid-state laser, Rad-hard FPGA |
| vacuum compatibility | True |
Operational
| power consumption w | 50 |
| thermal range c | -40, 70 |
| lifetime years | 15 |
| mtbf hours | 20000 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Terrain 3D map for hazard detection
- TRN pose update
Requires
- LIDAR (~50 W)
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Landing LIDAR" (L3-NAV-LAND-LIDAR). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L3-NAV-LAND-LIDAR
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.