Lunar Path Planning Algorithm for Surface Navigation

In the last years, lunar missions have been attracting a renewed interest in the clear perspective of planning and completing both robotic and human missions in the near future, paving the way to the exploration of Mars. In this view, manned and unmanned exploration of the lunar surface has become a key feature for future colonization of the Moon surface. Prior to lunar mission launch, the path of the rover must be set according to scientific objectives but taking into account the lunar environment elements that can impact the success of the mission. This paper presents a comprehensive approach for lunar surface path planning using a Lunar satellite navigation system. By addressing the challenges of satellite orbital error, multipath interference, and lunar terrain diversity, the proposed approach offers enhanced navigation accuracy and reliability. The path planning algorithm developed in this study shows the potential to estimate optimal paths for lunar exploration missions in the future.