The navigation system could help future explorers find their way across the Moon's terrain by turning the astronauts themselves into a beacon.
Landing on the Moon is one thing, but not getting lost on its gray, dusty surface presents an entirely different challenge. The Apollo astronauts eyeballed their way across the lunar terrain, but NASA is hoping to develop a better navigation system for future astronauts exploring the Moon.
In order to help guide the lander to the surface, flight engineers uploaded a software patch to repurpose LN-1 so that it could be used to navigate Odysseus to its landing spot. The technology demonstration has already proven useful, and NASA is hoping to use it in the future to develop a network of lighthouses that point the way for spacecraft in orbit around the Moon and astronauts making their way across the lunar surface.
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