GMV successfully completes the FASTNAV planetary exploration project
Multinational tech company GMV has successfully completed the FASTNAV (Multi-range Navigation for Fast Moon Rovers) project. This initiative focused on developing, maturing, and demonstrating a navigation solution for rovers capable of achieving speeds of 1 m/s, a feat previously unattainable by an autonomous rover on the surface of a distant planet. Led by GMV, the project is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) under the General Support Technology Program (GSTP) and supported by the UK Space Agency (UKSA).
With renewed interest in lunar exploration, preparing future technologies to support new vehicles (rovers), landing modules, and human missions returning to the Moon has become a top priority for the space industry. In this context, fast lunar rovers capable of traveling long distances (20 km+) in a single lunar day (approximately 14 Earth days) are seen as the next big step. These rovers must be equipped with sophisticated onboard navigation systems that enable them to detect and avoid obstacles while traversing the challenging terrain.
GMV has successfully increased the average travel speed of the rover in the FASTNAV project by introducing a new continuous driving paradigm that eliminates stops during journeys. This advancement improves speeds from the current 0.13 m/s to 1 m/s—an unprecedented achievement for an autonomous rover on the surface of a planetary body.
In addition to enhancing scientific performance and productivity in space exploration missions, this technology can also be adapted for use in complex terrestrial safety critical environments such as rescue operations, mining, nuclear and infrastructure monitoring. To accomplish this, GMV has implemented a guidance, navigation and control (GNC) system that incorporates an integrated visual navigation system within the rover. GMV’s solution combines classic computer vision with cutting-edge artificial intelligence, enabling the rover to navigate autonomously through a variety of different conditions.
Project background and testing
The project has undergone an extensive testing campaign. The initial test took place in mid-June at Upwood Quarry near Farringdon (Oxfordshire), operated by the Hills group Ltd. In this setting, the robustness, effectiveness, and efficiency of the solution implemented in FASTNAV was evaluated. GMV used the RAPID platform, developed through a previous project with the European Space Agency (ESA). During these tests, GMV confirmed that the system was capable of covering long distances at high speeds and performing reliably in complex and challenging conditions.
The success of this initial campaign set the stage for subsequent tests in the first half of July at the Bardenas Reales Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve (Navarre, Spain), a lunar analogue environment. The terrain in Bardenas, resembling the landscapes the rover would encounter on the Moon, allowed these tests to focus on assessing the efficiency and accuracy of the guidance system, the robustness of the chassis and suspension, and the vehicle’s ability to execute rapid autonomous journeys across diverse terrains with varying obstacle densities.
Following the results from both tests and upon returning to Oxfordshire, GMV implemented a series of machine learning-based enhancements to the GNC system of FASTNAV to improve its performance. These developments led to increased responsiveness and overall effectiveness of the innovative multimodal GNC system.
From an engineering perspective, the project faced the main challenge of developing an autonomous control and navigation system efficient enough to react to obstacles in real-time, allowing for trajectory adjustments without the need to stop.
GMV presented preliminary project results at the International Conference on Space Robotics (iSpaRo) in Jun, in Luxembourg.
Steven Kay, GMV´s UK Robotics lead & Technical Leader – Advanced Robotic Concepts stated, “the advancements made in this project open a broad range of opportunities in both research and development, as well as in the commercial sector. These results not only represent a significant leap in space exploration and, specifically, in space robotics, but also enable applications in other demanding environments such as mining, nuclear power plants, and rescue operations, where autonomy is crucial.”
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