Session B3: Future of Space, Lunar, and Extraterrestrial Navigation 1

Initial Results of the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE)
NASA: Joel J. K. Parker, Lauren Konitzer, Benjamin Anderson, Benjamin Ashman, Frank H. Bauer, Nathan Esantsi, Cory Heiges, Stephen McKim, James J. Miller, Siddartha Sanathanamurthy, Lisa Valencia; Politecnico di Torino: Fabio Dovis, Alex Minetto, Andrea Nardin, Oliviero Vouch, Simone Zocca; Qascom S.r.l.: Fabio Bernardi, Matilde Boschiero, Samuele Fantinato, Efer Miotti, Oscar Pozzobon, Matteo Pulliero, Simone Tedesco; Italian Space Agency (ASI): Claudia Facchinetti, Mario Musmeci, Giancarlo Varacalli
Location: Holiday 2-3 (Second Floor)
Date/Time: Thursday, Sep. 11, 10:40 a.m.

Best Presentation

The Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) is a joint NASA-Italian Space Agency (ASI) payload on the Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1 (BGM1) awarded as part of the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.[1] LuGRE was developed with the goal of extending GNSS-based navigation and timing to the Moon, and with three objectives:
OBJECTIVE 1: Receive GNSS signals at the Moon. Return data and characterize the lunar GNSS signal environment.
OBJECTIVE 2: Demonstrate navigation and time estimation using GNSS data collected at the Moon.
OBJECTIVE 3: Utilize collected data to support development of GNSS receivers specific to lunar use.
The BGM1 spacecraft launched January 15, 2025 and executed three Earth-centered phasing loops before entering lunar orbit on February 14, 2025. The spacecraft spent 16 days in low lunar orbit, then successfully landed on March 2, 2025. It operated from the lunar surface through end-of-mission on March 16, 2025.
The LuGRE payload operated successfully through all phases of the mission. Beginning 6 hours after launch, LuGRE completed 16 one-hour data collection operations in the transit phase, including in lunar orbit, then operated nearly continuously throughout the surface mission. LuGRE acquired, tracked, and performed real-time navigation using GPS and Galileo L1/E1 and L5/E5a signals in all phases of the mission, and additionally collected and downlinked raw L1 and L5 I/Q samples for ground processing.
The LuGRE science team developed a set of 20 investigations that would be attempted using LuGRE data, including evaluation of the signal properties themselves, evaluation of the pseudorange, Doppler, and carrier phase measurements, application of the collected measurements for navigation, and applications such as evaluation of the impact of lunar dust on GNSS signals. [2] Additionally, LuGRE products are being prepared for public dissemination, including the raw measurements, IQ data, and ancillary information necessary for future use of the data.
LuGRE accomplished several previously-unachieved milestones, including the highest altitude known use of GPS and Galileo signals, the highest altitude known GNSS navigation fix, the first use of these signals in lunar orbit, and the first known use of GNSS on the lunar surface. The data collected by LuGRE will enable developers of lunar-specific GNSS receivers and navigation systems to utilize in-situ lunar-vicinity data and applicable lessons learned to benefit their developments, and will enable lunar missions to better assess the potential benefits of GNSS in their navigation design.
This paper discusses the overall payload description and design, the flight experience and activities, the high-level results of the mission, and the key findings and lessons learned. It focuses on the real-time results from the LuGRE payload, including acquisition and tracking performance and real-time navigation results, and captures the status of the defined science investigations performed by the LuGRE team after the completion of operations. Additionally, it outlines key operative processes and findings that were developed throughout the operational phase of the mission which enabled enhanced return of data. Further publications focus on detailed analyses of specific datasets and investigations.
[1] Parker, Joel JK, Fabio Dovis, Benjamin Anderson, Luigi Ansalone, Benjamin Ashman, Frank H. Bauer, Giuseppe D’amore et al. "The Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE)." In Proceedings of the 2022 International Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation, pp. 420-437. 2022.
[2] Konitzer, Lauren, Joel JK Parker, Benjamin Ashman, Nathan Esantsi, Claudia Facchinetti, Fabio Dovis, Alex Minetto et al. "Science Objectives and Investigations for the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE)." In Proceedings of the 37th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS+ 2024), pp. 1061-1081. 2024.