Route Planner
A* / RRT* Route Planner Across DEM
The route planner is a navigation software component stored on radiation-hardened NOR flash that computes optimal traversal trajectories for surface rovers and transport haulers across digital elevation models. Combining A* algorithms for discrete grid paths with RRT* for continuous motion under kinematic constraints, it consumes one watt of power and completes dynamic replanning routines within 500 milliseconds upon detecting unmapped obstacles. Lunar pathfinding depends on cost functions that balance distance, terrain slope, and battery state, preventing surface vehicles from depleting energy reserves or losing stability while navigating steep, hazardous inclines across evolving terrain maps.
Route planning algorithm (A*, RRT*, hybrid) generating optimal traversal paths for L1-ROB rovers and L3-ISR-TRANS-VEH haulers across the topographic map.
Purpose
Route planning algorithm (A*, RRT*, hybrid) generating optimal traversal paths for L1-ROB rovers and L3-ISR-TRANS-VEH haulers across the topographic map.
Context
Child of L2-NAV-MAP within the Lunar Ark system
Principles
- ▸A* for grid-based shortest path
- ▸RRT* for continuous-space planning with kinematic constraints
- ▸Cost function balances distance, slope, hazard, energy
- ▸Replan on map updates or obstacle detection
- ▸Multi-robot coordination via L3-ISR-CTRL-SCHED
Typical implementations
- ▸Mars rover AutoNav heritage
- ▸ROS Navigation Stack (terrestrial)
- ▸Multi-robot Cooperation for Lunar ISRU (Frontiers Robotics 2023)
Lunar considerations
- ▸Lunar terrain favors slope-aware planning
- ▸Long-mission routes evolve as terrain changes
- ▸Energy-aware planning matches battery state
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Route planning algorithm (A*, RRT*, hybrid) generating optimal traversal paths for L1-ROB rovers and L3-ISR-TRANS-VEH haulers across the topographic map. |
| replan time ms | 500 |
Physical
| mass kg | 0 |
| materials | Code on rad-hard NOR flash |
| vacuum compatibility | True |
Operational
| power consumption w | 1 |
| thermal range c | -40, 70 |
| lifetime years | 100 |
| mtbf hours | 500000 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Route plans
- Hauler routes
Requires
- DEM input
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Route Planner" (L3-NAV-MAP-PLAN). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L3-NAV-MAP-PLAN
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.