GPS on the moon: New system could be a ‘stepping stone' to Mars
A new form of GPS on the moon aims to make journeys on its surface as easy as a drive across town on Earth. The technology has been developed by Spanish company GMV.
According to Reuters , the technology has been developed as part of LUPIN, a project run by the European Space Agency. The agency aims to develop navigation technology for the moon as lunar surface exploration continues to be a hot topic.
Furthermore, it's not just scientists who want to navigate the moon. There has been renewed interest in potential mining opportunities and future tourism on the moon, making the need for new tools all the greater.
LUPIN receives signals from satellites orbiting the moon. These signals, which closely resemble GPS, help rovers and astronauts to mark their location on the lunar surface in real time.
Having something like GPS on the moon represents an advance in communication available to scientists working on the lunar surface. Current systems are slow and imprecise, with one method requiring direct visibility of the Earth.
Furthermore, the new technology was tested in Fuerteventura, one of Spain's Canary Islands. It's an area that shares certain characteristics with the moon.
Having a system like LUPIN will allow humans to establish more bases in the solar system. GMV hopes that, by mapping the moon accurately, astronauts will be able to establish permanent bases there.
But developing something like GPS on the moon also brings dreams of Mars exploration closer.
Speaking to Reuters, project director Steven Kay said:
'With this software, we bring Europe closer to establishing a presence of humans on the moon and, potentially, this would be a stepping stone towards Mars exploration or human presence on Mars.'
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