Jervis Autonomy Module (JAM)
A navigation module with its own camera that lets a spacecraft near the Moon work out its orbit by photographing stars and other celestial objects, without relying on NASA's Deep Space Network.
Why it matters
Ground tracking networks are oversubscribed and costly, and military users want spacecraft that can navigate without GPS or ground contact. Two JAM units are booked to fly in lunar orbit on a NASA-funded lunar mission.
How the technology works
JAM images the sky, identifies celestial objects in the picture and calculates the spacecraft's position from them, then keeps it on its planned trajectory. The same camera can take high-resolution images of the lunar surface.
Two units are to ride on relay spacecraft supporting ispace U.S.'s APEX 1.0 lander on a Draper-led CLPS mission.
Sources
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