Lidar, cameras, retroreflectors, and landing navigation.
Navigation, imaging, and guidance jobs form this shelf. AEye Apollo is the lidar. CAPS is the Advanced Space navigation software. The Canadensys camera is an imaging row. CLARA is the retroreflector array. LunaRay is the hazard lidar suite.
Mission brief
AEye Apollo rides Pegasus on CX-2. CAPS is on CAPSTONE. The Canadensys camera is on Hakuto-R Mission 1. CLARA is on the Chang'e-7 lander. LunaRay is on Griffin-1. Three NASA navigation programs are the guidance software on CAPSTONE 02.
Schematic
Job categories are navigation, imaging, guidance, and guidance software. CAPS and the CAPSTONE 02 programs are the software rows. Canadensys is an imaging row.
Chang'e-5 lander Panoramic Camera (PCAM) for landing-site context imaging supporting sampling operations and site geology documentation. · Chang'e-5 · 2020-11-23
Hong Kong Polytechnic University Surface Sampling and Packing System (Samplers A/B, near-field cameras, sealing/packaging) for multi-point surface regolith scooping on Chang'e-5 lander, developed with CAST. · Chang'e-5 · 2020-11-23
Redwire supplied the cameras, the vision navigation processor and the floodlights that flew on Blue Ghost Mission 1, giving the lander imagery and vision-based navigation through descent and on the surface. · Blue Ghost Mission 1 · 2025-01-15
Two NASA Goddard laser retroreflector arrays on Griffin-1, precise surface fiducials for tracking and navigation. · Griffin-1 (Moon Base II) · NET late 2026
NASA Marshall laser mapping demo on Griffin-1, 3D terrain maps of the south-pole landing site (time-of-flight lidar). · Griffin-1 (Moon Base II) · NET late 2026
CAPSTONE 02, the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment 02, flies two identical spacecraft of about 400 kg (882 lb) each around the Moon in 2027. · CAPSTONE 02 · NET 2027
INFN-LNF laser retroreflector array on the Chang'e-7 lander (CLARA: INRRI mini-array plus MoonLIGHT large CCR) for lunar laser ranging from orbit and Earth. · Chang'e-7 · NET 2027
ILOA + HKU Laboratory for Space Research wide-field optical telescope on the Chang'e-7 lander for Milky Way / galactic-plane imaging from the lunar south pole. · Chang'e-7 · NET 2027
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory supplies the integrated optical payloads on CAPSTONE 02, built around LLNL-patented monolithic optics. · CAPSTONE 02 · NET 2027
Egypt (EgSA) and Bahrain (NSSA) co-develop the LunaHcam hyperspectral camera on the Chang'e-7 orbiter to image and analyse lunar surface materials, including polar regions. · Chang'e-7 · NET 2027
L-CIRiS, the Lunar Compact Infrared Imaging System from the University of Colorado, is a multispectral imaging radiometer on IM-4 at Mons Mouton. · IM-4 · NET ~2027
Space Applications Services LUVMI-M commercial lunar rover on Blue Origin Blue Moon MK1 to the lunar south pole (Belga/VRT: NET early 2029). · Blue Moon MK1 Endurance (Moon Base I) · NET Q1 2027
MoonLIGHT, the Moon Laser Instrumentation for General relativity High accuracy Test, is ESA's next-generation laser retroreflector, delivered on IM-3 with its MoonLIGHT Pointing Actuator. · IM-3 Trinity · NET Q1 2027
SCALPSS 1.x, the Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies from NASA Langley, is an array of high-resolution cameras that collect imagery during descent on Blue Moon MK1. · Blue Moon MK1 Endurance (Moon Base I) · NET Q1 2027
Three NASA-developed navigation software payloads ride CAPSTONE 02, collecting data on the long transfer from Earth into lunar orbit. · CAPSTONE 02 · NET 2027
Planetary Science Institute Heimdall four-camera system (descent, workspace, regolith, panoramic) on Blue Ghost M3 / CP-21. · Blue Ghost Mission 3 · NET ~2028
Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE) PRISM-class suite on Blue Ghost M3 / CP-21 Gruithuisen Domes, rover+lander cameras, radiometer, gamma-ray/neutron spectrometer path. · Blue Ghost Mission 3 · NET ~2028
Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · IM-6 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base)
Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · Blue Ghost Mission 5 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base)
Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · Peregrine Mission 2 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base)
Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · Peregrine Mission 3 (Moon Base CS-8) · NET ~2028-2029 (CS-8 Moon Base)
Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · Blue Ghost Mission 4 · NET ~2029
Stereo imaging of engine plume interaction with regolith during descent/landing to improve models for multi-lander operations and landing pads. · IM-5 Nova-D · NET ~2030 class
Hong Kong Polytechnic University Surface Sampling and Packing System (Samplers A/B, near-field cameras, sealing/packaging) for multi-point surface regolith scooping on Chang'e-5 lander, developed with CAST.
Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory provided the Iris deep-space radio and navigation firmware on flown CAPSTONE, supporting DSN links and one-way radiometric experiments with the CSAC.
ILOA + HKU Laboratory for Space Research wide-field optical telescope on the Chang'e-7 lander for Milky Way / galactic-plane imaging from the lunar south pole.
Lunar Compact Infrared Imaging System (L-CIRiS) multispectral imaging radiometer (CU Boulder LASP / Paul Hayne) on IM-4 / CP-22 for temperature and mineral composition panoramas.
Space Applications Services LUVMI-M is a commercially funded Belgian lunar rover booked on Blue Origin Blue Moon MK1 for early 2029 delivery to the lunar south pole.
NASA delivered NavCube3-mini to Intuitive Machines on 13 Jul 2026 for integration into Altus-1, IM's first lunar relay satellite under Near Space Network Services.
AEye Apollo long-range lidar on Lunar Outpost Pegasus for terrain perception, obstacle detection, and autonomous navigation on the CX-2 Lunar Terrain Vehicle path.
JPL Lunar Dashcam on each MoonFall drone builds high-resolution digital terrain maps for South Pole Artemis sites, finer than current satellite imagery.
MDA Space UK holds a Pre-Authorisation to Proceed (PATP) from OHB System AG (announced 21 Jul 2026, Farnborough) to deliver LEIA 3D LiDAR hazard-detection sensors for ESA Argonaut.
OHB System AG is a core team member for Argonaut LDE guidance, navigation and control (GNC), electrical power systems (EPS), and telecommunications (TT&C), plus procurement of solar array, batteries, LIDAR, and a series of transponders (ESA consortium briefing).
Venturi Space unveiled ALTA LUNA on 9 September 2026 at the International Space Summit in Paris: a single-person tracked lunar utility rover for local work near future habitats.
GIMLI maps the subsurface at Marius Hills Pit to test whether the pit opens into a lava tube, with Honeybee Robotics providing active-source seismic, gravimeter, and cameras and the Norwegian Space Agency providing ground penetrating radar for Moon Base shelter and site intel.
NASA Goddard and Starpath Robotics have a Space Act agreement to build an engineering-model lidar from NASA's Wearable Active Sensing Processor technology, WASP, GSC-19414-1, under evaluation license DN-2592.
Vast Lunar Programs proposes a communications and positioning constellation for continuous lunar south pole coverage and improved space situational awareness for surface and orbital operations.
Flights
Beresheet2019-02-22 · SpaceIL / IAI Beresheet, private/national hybrid soft-landing attempt.Chang'e-52020-11-23 · CNSA national lunar sample-return (near side).CAPSTONE2022-06-28 · Flown CAPSTONE (2022 Electron→Photon).Artemis I2022-11-16 · First integrated Artemis flight test: uncrewed SLS Block 1 + Orion.Hakuto-R Mission 12022-12-11 · Private Japanese lander.Chandrayaan-32023-07-14 · ISRO national soft-landing mission near lunar south polar highlands.Luna-252023-08-10 · Roscosmos national polar lander (Luna-25).SLIM2023-09-07 · JAXA SLIM precision soft-landing demo.Peregrine Mission One2024-01-08 · First CLPS launch: propellant leak after leaving Earth.IM-1 Odysseus2024-02-15 · IM-1 Odysseus (TO2-IM): first commercial soft landing (Feb 2024).Chang'e-62024-05-03 · CNSA national far-side lunar sample-return via Queqiao-2 relay.Blue Ghost Mission 12025-01-15 · Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1 (TO19D ~$93.3M): Falcon 9 launch 2025-01-15 · soft landing (upright) Mare Crisium 2025-03-02 · all 10 NASA science/tech payloads operated through a full lunar day (+ hours into night).IM-2 Athena2025-02-27 · IM-2 Athena (PRIME-1 path): south polar attempt (Mar 2025).Griffin-1 (Moon Base II)NET late 2026 · Astrobotic / Voyager Lunar Systems Griffin Mission One, NASA Moon Base II.IM-3 TrinityNET Q1 2027 · Intuitive Machines IM-3 (CLPS CP-11): Nova-C Trinity, NASA Moon Base III.Blue Ghost Mission 2NET 2027 · Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 2 (CS-3 ~$112M, charter-bg2): planned far-side dual-stack (Blue Ghost stacked on Elytra Dark + ESA Lunar Pathfinder).Blue Moon MK1 Endurance (Moon Base I)NET Q1 2027 · Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance.CAPSTONE 02NET 2027 · NASA hired Advanced Space on 24 July 2026 to fly two identical 400 kg (882 lb) spacecraft to lunar orbit in 2027.IM-4NET ~2027 · Six NASA science payloads to Mons Mouton / south polar highlands.Chang'e-7NET 2027 · CNSA south-pole complex (orbiter, lander, rover, hopper) focused on water-ice and polar environment.Artemis IIINET late 2027 · NASA: Artemis III is a 2027 crewed demonstration in low Earth orbit.Altus-1 (IM lunar data relay)NET ~2027 · Intuitive Machines Altus-1 is the company's first lunar data relay satellite under NASA Near Space Network Services (NSN).VIPER on Blue Moon (CS-7)NET late 2027 (contingent) · VIPER polar rover on second Blue Moon MK1 (CS-7).CX-2 Lunar Terrain Vehicle DeliveryNET 2028 · NASA CX-2 CLPS task order: Blue Origin Blue Moon MK1 delivers Astrolab CLV-1 and Lunar Outpost Pegasus to the lunar south pole.IM-6 (Moon Base CS-8)NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) · 2028 Moon Base batch.MoonFallNET 2028 · NASA JPL MoonFall sends four propulsive hop drones to the south pole in 2028.Peregrine Mission 3 (Moon Base CS-8)NET ~2028-2029 (CS-8 Moon Base) · Astrobotic Peregrine Mission 3 under NASA Moon Base / CS-8 batch.Starship Lunar Cargo (HLS path)NET late 2020s-2030s (HLS path) · SpaceX Starship lunar architecture: NASA HLS crew lander path plus heavy cargo configurations.Peregrine Mission 2 (Moon Base CS-8)NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) · Astrobotic Peregrine Mission 2 under NASA Moon Base / CS-8 batch (public award packaging).Blue Ghost Mission 3NET ~2028 · Six NASA science payloads to Gruithuisen Domes.Blue Ghost Mission 5 (Moon Base CS-8)NET ~2028 (CS-8 Moon Base) · 2028 Moon Base CS-8 Firefly delivery: Blue Ghost to the near side (site TBA) with NASA SCALPSS, LRA, and LETS.Artemis VNET late 2028 · NASA: Artemis V is the second planned crewed south-polar landing, late 2028, when lunar-base surface work begins.ispace Mission 3 ULTRANET 2028 · ispace Japan ULTRA lunar lander, inaugural ULTRA flight.Artemis IVNET early 2028 · NASA: Artemis IV is the first planned crewed south-polar landing, early 2028.Blue Ghost Mission 4NET ~2029 · South-pole CLPS with multiple rovers (MoonRanger, CSA path) and instruments.IM-5 Nova-DNET ~2030 class · First cargo-class Nova-D CLPS.Argonaut Mission 1 (ArgoNET)NET ~2030-2031 · ESA Argonaut Lunar Descent Element (LDE) is Europe's cargo lander transport element, primed by Thales Alenia Space Italy with Thales Alenia Space France, Thales Alenia Space UK, OHB System AG, and Nammo Space (UK) (ESA consortium 20 Nov 2025).