NASA successfully uses GPS on the moon for the first time in history

 

 

California: NASA has reached another milestone by successfully receiving GPS signals on the moon. NASA achieved this milestone with the help of the Italian space agency. The Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) became the first instrument to track and monitor Earth-based navigation signals on the lunar surface. Signals from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) were received and tracked on the moon.

On Earth, we can use GNSS signals to navigate everything from smartphones to airplanes, said Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator for NASA's Space Communications and Navigation Program. GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is a system similar to GPS that transmits navigation signals from Earth. Coggins said the LuGRE experiment shows that GNSS signals can be successfully acquired and monitored on the Moon. Coggins said it is a very interesting discovery for lunar navigation and that he plans to use it for future missions.

NASA deployed LuGRE on the Moon using Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander. Blue Ghost landed on the Moon's surface on March 2. One of 10 NASA payloads sent with it was the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment, or LuGRE. NASA scientists activated the instrument immediately after landing on the Moon. LuGRE determined its position and time by capturing Earth's GNSS signals from the Moon, 225,000 miles away. The experiment will last for 14 days.
The experiment is a big step forward for astronauts, as it will help provide better navigation systems for future missions, such as NASA's Artemis program, by providing precise position, velocity, and time. This technology could help make navigation more accurate and easier on missions to the Moon and beyond.