Real-time Characterization of Regolith Stability during Planetary Descent & Landing

NASA is seeking the development of technologies that enable real-time regolith stability characterization during planetary descent and landing operations. Human-scale landing systems for the Moon currently in design under the NASA Artemis Program are orders of magnitude more massive than previous crewed Apollo landers from the 1960s-70s. While surface hazards (e.g., slopes, craters, and blocks) will be identified using data from orbital assets and on-board mapping sensors, knowledge of sub-surface hazards and variations in mechanical properties of the near-subsurface terrain will be limited. These factors have a direct impact on plume-induced erosion and landing stability. Data and observations of these properties obtained in-flight can inform safe landing site identification and further improve likelihood of mission success. To facilitate safe-site selection processes and safe touchdown maneuvers, new technologies are required to assess regolith stability including characteristics such as, but not limited to, bearing capacity, particle size distribution, sub-surface blocks/hazards, and predicted plume-induced erosion and/or pad sinkage. Desirable solutions can span novel sensing technologies, methods leveraging data products from existing sensing systems, and/or algorithms that predict surface reactions given mechanical properties of the lander and regolith. Desirable solutions are robust to obscuration induced by thruster plume-surface interactions. Solutions must operate within the constraints of limited computational resources, mass, power, and data bandwidth typical of planetary landers (both crewed and uncrewed), while providing actionable information within the short timeline available (e.g., one minute to touchdown). Successful proposals must also include clear development milestones, including desired/possible testing opportunities, that present a path to spaceflight. Pursuant to this problem, NASA seeks: 1. Novel Sensing Technologies: Active or passive sensors capable of measuring regolith mechanical properties during descent including, but not limited to: Assessment of particle size distribution and surface compaction Systems for sub-surface characterization for buried hazard detection Spectroscopic methods correlated to mechanical properties Acoustic or seismic sensing for material property assessment 2. Data Fusion and Analysis: Algorithms that leverage data from existing descent imaging systems (terrain relative navigation cameras, hazard detection lidars, doppler LiDAR, event cameras) to infer regolith stability characteristics without requiring new dedicated sensors 3. Predictive Modeling Capabilities: Estimate bearing capacity and potential pad sinkage given lander mass distribution and observed/inferred regolith properties Assess regolith strength and erosion potential during terminal descent Uncertainty quantification to support risk-informed decisions 4. Integrated Systems: Combined sensor/algorithm approaches that provide comprehensive real-time regolith stability assessments specifically for descent and landing environments Solutions will be evaluated based on their ability to: Provide actionable information within real-time operational constraints (processing time compatible with descent timeline) Operate at relevant altitudes and velocities during descent (from several kilometers to final approach and landing) Function in relevant planetary environments (lunar, Mars, icy bodies) with varying lighting conditions Achieve sufficient measurement accuracy and spatial resolution to inform safe site selection Meet realistic mass, power, volume, and data rate constraints for lander integration Demonstrate measurement fidelity through validation in relevant terrestrial or laboratory environments