![Psionic NDL test with with Masten Space Systems, Mojave, California, September 2020. [NASA]](https://108mly2wzpex37pd5h2h6xql-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MASTEN-Mojave-09-2020-3404.jpg "MASTEN-Mojave-09-2020")
![Psionic NDL test with with Masten Space Systems, Mojave, California, September 2020. [NASA]](https://108mly2wzpex37pd5h2h6xql-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MASTEN-Mojave-09-2020-6914a-1-scaled.jpg "MASTEN-Mojave-09-2020")
Psionic Navigation Doppler Lidar was developed by NASA for use in autonomous space vehicles. Today we work with leading public and private space entities to incorporate this technology into their missions.
Psionic Space Applications
Psionic Doppler Lidar delivers superior range and relative velocity measurements over long distances in space to provide operational assurance and reduce mission risk. Smaller and lighter than competing heritage technology offerings, Psionic Doppler Lidar can also reduce fuel, power and volume requirements providing more room for payloads.
Navigation Technology for Landing
When the Apollo missions landed on the moon the Eagle carried three radars to assist a manual landing in the Sea of Tranquility, a large flat area on the moon thousands of square kilometers in size. Today’s lunar missions demand precision landing from orbit in a 100 square meter target and autonomously, without the use of radar.
Read more about Psionic and NASA’s Flight Opportunity program on the NASA website>
Originally developed by NASA, Psionic Navigation Doppler Lidar provides extreme performance equal to the demands of the lunar missions of today and tomorrow. Robustly tested, once integrated into your guidance system Psionic can provide the mission assurance you require.
Navigation for Rendezvous & Proximity Operations
The current procedures for docking in space may seem archaic and in contrast to the image of approaching spacecraft—inching towards each other over the course of a few days, and then when close “grabbing” the other spacecraft with a giant robotic arm.
Archaic in conception perhaps but practical, with the spacecraft traveling at 28,000 km/h they are immensely dangerous. Yet with Psionic Navigation Doppler Lidar mating spacecraft can instantaneously obtain range and vector velocity information with cm-level accuracy.
Psionic Navigation Doppler Lidar can make the docking phase of your operation last a few hours rather than days and—more importantly—increase operational assurance in the process.
Rendezvous & Proximity Operation News
These space surveillance satellites just got an upgrade [C4ISR] >
Docking gives Intelsat telecoms satellite new lease of life [BBC News]>
Precision Targeting
Today there are nearly 129 million pieces of debris in various orbits around the earth and this number is growing. According to European Space Agency estimates approximately 34,000 are at least 4 inches wide and since they are moving fast—17,500 mph in low-Earth orbit, for example—that even the smallest of them could massively damage a satellite.
Several new ventures utilizing new technologies and new business models are poised to attempt dealing with this problem. The first step in the challenge is identifying then capturing extremely dangerous fast-moving debris in the vastness of orbit. Psionic technology can provide the precision situational awareness and targeting to enable the destruction individual pieces of debris without affecting nearby satellites
Psionic NDL test with with Masten Space Systems | Mojave, California | September 10, 2020
Announcement from NASA, September 16, 2020
Lander Simulation Testing Helps Advance NASA Navigation Spinoff
![Psionic NDL test with with Masten Space Systems, Mojave, California, September 2020. [NASA]](https://108mly2wzpex37pd5h2h6xql-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PSIONIC-Tech-Transmits-with-Laser-Beams-for-Velocity-and-Distance-to-Lunar-Surface-300x274.png)
Tech Transmits with Laser Beams for Velocity and Distance to Lunar Surface. [Psionic LLC]
A navigation doppler lidar (NDL) technology originally developed by NASA was demonstrated on a flight test on September 10 with support from the Flight Opportunities program, part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. With roots at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, the technology was licensed in 2016 by Psionic for both terrestrial and space applications, and both the company and Langley continue to evolve and advance the innovation for upcoming lunar missions.
On the recent flight in Mojave, California, Masten Space Systems flew Psionic’s NDL payload on a vertical takeoff vertical landing (VTVL) system called Xodiac, which simulates some of the maneuvers of a lunar lander. Designed for precision landing in a very tightly defined area—often called the landing ellipse—the NDL transmits laser beams to the ground that bounce back to a sensor, providing information about the lander’s velocity and distance relative to the ground.
The flight test was designed to help Psionic validate their NDL unit’s algorithms and data processing in order to verify the accuracy of these measurements. Data analysis is now underway to determine any modifications needed before advancing to a future closed-loop flight test on Xodiac, in which Masten and Psionic will use the NDL payload to actually navigate the VTVL system.
Read the full announcement on NASA.gov >
Our view:
“Psionic Navigation Doppler Lidar (PNDL) helps ensure safe, precise lunar landings and will be an important part of upcoming unmanned and manned flights. The Flight Opportunities program enabled us to advance the technical readiness level of PNDL with a representative lunar landing trajectory aboard the Masten Xodiac free flying rocket. During the flight, we acquired valuable data to advance the robustness of the sensor-to-navigation computer interfaces, setting the stage for future missions, and ultimately for Artemis’s manned mission to the moon.”
—Diego Pierrottet, Chief Engineer, Psionic
Developing and Testing Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL)
Navigation Doppler Lidar (23 minutes; transcript)
NASA Langley Research Center’s development of Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL), the underlying technology used in Psionic Navigation Doppler Lidar. [NASA, February 14, 2020]
Navigation Doppler Lidar (6 minutes)
Testing Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL) aboard Masten Space Systems’ Xodiac as part of the CoOperative Blending of Autonomous Landing Technologies (COBALT) system. [NASA, June 13, 2017]
Psionic Navigation Doppler Lidar for Space Applications
Lidar Background Discrimination White PaperPsionic Navigation Doppler Lidar for Space is a major advancement in safety and precision for landing and proximity operations.
Advantages
- Greater safety, accuracy and assurance of mission success in docking, landing, navigating and hazard avoidance
- Greater revenue through more payloads and payload capacity on each mission
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In combination with VBN and TRN, provides increased precision and safety.
Superior to traditional radar
- Higher precision—Fast (50 Hertz) measurements at range of 5+ km and closing speeds of more than 150kmh
- Smaller, less mass
- Insensitive to terrain features
- Superior signal-to-noise performance for unambiguous ranging, with no false positives
- No signal ambiguity from transmitted side lobes
- No signal clutter from jettisoned components
Psionic Doppler Lidar
| Range | Current Effective Range: > 4 km |
| Accuracy | Range: ± 10 cm @ 4 km Velocity: < 2 cm/sec @ 4 km |
| Size and weight | 4th Gen Chassis: 22.86 cm (9″) L x 12.70 cm (5″) W x 17.87 cm (7″) H; < 6.80kg (< 15 lbs.) 5th Gen Chassis: 12.70 cm (5″) L x 12.70 cm (5″) W x 12.70 cm (5″) H; 3.18kg (< 7lbs.) Telescopes: Customer-specific |
| Eyesafe | Class 1 Laser Operations |
| Measurement Rate | 1Hz-1kHz |
Psionic Space
Conferences and Trade Shows
We usually attend several space and satellite events throughout the year, but this is no ordinary year. We will, however, be at the Space Symposium this fall and look forward to meeting you there. Please contact us to arrange an in-person meeting >