GMV develops key technologies for navigation in the solar system

Human and robotic exploration is advancing rapidly and is set to become a regular activity in the coming years, with flights and landings becoming routine rather than exceptional. In this context, advanced navigation and communication systems are essential to guarantee the success of missions throughout the solar system. Accurate and reliable navigation enables spacecraft, rovers, and astronauts to travel across unfamiliar and often hostile terrain, identify scientific targets, avoid obstacles, and safely return to their starting point. Communication, on the other hand, ensures the constant flow of data, commands, and critical information between explorers and mission control, linking distant worlds with Earth’s resources and expertise.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is driving missions and satellites to provide local navigation and communication services, such as Moonlight for the Moon and Marconi for Mars. GMV plays a decisive role in this effort, contributing to the development of advanced navigation technologies that will support exploration across the solar system.

Among the most recent contracts is MARVEL, in which GMV is working on defining navigation systems for Mars and the Moon. This includes designing signals, positioning methods, deep space orbit determination, and analyzing expected user-level performance. In parallel, initiatives such as MARCONI (Mars Communication and Navigation Infrastructure) will deliver local navigation capabilities similar to GPS and Galileo on Earth.

Another milestone is the NOVAMOON initiative, currently in Phase A within a consortium led by Airbus. Its goal is to develop a European lunar navigation station capable of monitoring the Moonlight constellation from the lunar surface, ensuring precise time transfer with Earth, and providing augmentation data to optimize system performance. In September 2025, Phase B1 will begin to refine the design, prepare procurement, and move forward with component integration. The station will be hosted on ArgoNet, the first lunar mission of ESA’s Argonaut program.

GMV’s expertise in user navigation is also well recognized. Its GNC and Robotics teams have developed key technologies for deep space navigation, consolidating the company as a European leader in onboard navigation for complex missions. A prime example is LUPIN, a prototype tested in Fuerteventura that simulates lunar navigation signals. This system will provide rovers with a GPS-like solution for the Moon, essentially a “Google Maps” for future lunar users.

In planetary landing operations, GMV contributed to the LHDAC project, which developed a camera-based hazard detection solution powered by deep learning. This method reduces costs and resource requirements compared to traditional LiDAR systems while ensuring safe landing awareness. The project was successfully completed in August 2025.

With this track record, GMV reaffirms its commitment to solar system navigation and will continue developing technologies designed to deliver reliable positioning and timing solutions for satellites, rovers, landers, and ascent vehicles in future missions.