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autoNGC

Autonomous Navigation, Guidance & Control (autoNGC) is an onboard software suite that integrates spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control functions that are currently split between onboard and ground systems. By consolidating these functions, autoNGC lowers the development, test, and operational costs of complex space missions.

Autonomous Navigation, Guidance & Control

The farther NASA travels toward the Moon, Mars, and beyond, the more missions will need to function autonomously with less reliance on ground support.  NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program is developing autoNGC, an onboard application suite paired with a compact flight hardware platform. The software suite will provide missions with onboard navigation support and executive decision-making and control functions for mission maneuvers, reducing reliance on ground operations and enhancing mission responsiveness. The system includes capabilities for autonomous maneuver planning, enabling spacecraft to perform trajectory correction and station-keeping maneuvers without ground intervention. These capabilities support situational awareness and will enable new mission types, including distributed space missions, in-space assembly missions, and low-latency operation missions.

Learn More about Autonomous Navigation, Guidance & Control

Location

Greenbelt, MD

Product

Application Suite

Missions supported

3

Focus area

Spacecraft Functions

Development Process

Supporting Various Mission Scenarios

The autoNGC team successfully demonstrated the software suite on the Starling 2 and 4 spacecraft — two CubeSats in a four-satellite swarm testing various autonomous technologies — as well as NASA’s lunar-orbiting CAPSTONE mission. Future demonstrations include a planned test on CAPSTONE 2. These demonstrations build on rigorous testing through software-, hardware,- and processor-in-the-loop testing to ensure reliability and performance. Many of the autoNGC flight software apps and libraries have gone through the software release process and are available on the NASA Software Catalog for government purpose use. The team is currently developing the next generation of the autoNGC hardware box, which includes advanced processors and more memory that will enable more autonomous onboard capabilities, still in the CubeSat Size Standard (CS3).

A graphic showing three yellow communications satellites against black space orbiting the Moon with Earth visible in the distance. Blue rings represent one communications satellite relaying information to another.
An artist’s concept of lunar relay satellites supporting future missions on the Moon.
NASA