Lidar-Based Safe Site Relative Navigation

Established Safe and Precise Landing–Integrated Capability Evolution (SPLICE) project
precision landing requirements necessitate a navigation filter architecture and underlying
models developed specifically with these needs in mind. To date, test flights to characterize
SPLICE guidance and navigation (GN) system performance have not provided a means to divert
from the a priori selected landing site (LS) due to hazardous conditions. With the inclusion of a
new sensor type, the Hazard Detection Lidar (HDL) coupled with safe landing site selection
algorithms, GN can divert from the originally planned trajectory and navigate relative to the
new targeted landing site. This discussion covers the navigation filter developments necessary
to perform this estimation and process the resulting HDL measurements to meet project safe
landing goals.