NASA Tests Landing Tech on Drone for Future Moon Missions
A drone flight in California trialed a navigation system designed to help spacecraft land safely on the Moon and other destinations.
NASA recently demonstrated a new guidance and navigation system by flying it aboard an Alta-X drone near the agency's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The test took place on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
The system, called the Safe and Precise Landing – Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) experiment, is being developed to enable more accurate and safer landings on the Moon and other planetary surfaces. The drone flight served as a practical test of the technology in a controlled environment.
By refining landing precision and hazard avoidance, SPLICE aims to support future missions that require spacecraft to touch down in challenging terrain. The experiment is part of NASA's broader efforts to advance exploration capabilities beyond Earth.
Source: NASA