Landcam-X

LandCam-X, developed by Belgian company OIP Sensor Systems, will take pictures during landing that will be used for image-processing algorithms that will improve the precision and safety of future lunar landings.

The landing camera is somewhat like the cameras used on cars for autonomous parking but in this role the car is a spacecraft traveling at supersonic speeds, and the car park is a specific site of interest on the Moon, a treacherous terrain that can be sunlit or in shadows depending on the time and landing place.

The images will be sent to Earth to test and refine European autonomous navigation systems. European space technology shows leadership in autonomous spacecraft rendezvous and docking, and Landcam-X is developing autonomous lander technology to the aid ESA’s planetary exploration goals in the area of descent and landing. The technologies developed in high-speed image processing have direct synergies with other applications on Earth such as in warehouses and industrial processes.

ESA selected Lunar Logistics Services, a space start-up based in France, with its partner Astrobotic, a leader in lunar logistics and space robotics, after a competitive tender to include LandCam-X on Astrobotic’s mission to the Moon planned for 2024.

ESA has many ambitions for exploring our Moon, and is setting the groundwork for an autonomous lander that can rely on cameras and lidar to analyse lunar terrain and choose the best landing spot – on its own. The camera is ready, but nothing beats a real-world test.