We are a group of high school students competing in the Canadian CanSat Design Challenge. The goal is to design and build a can-sized payload called a CanSat which will be launched to 1km onboard a rocket to complete a scientific mission. Our CanSat uses a technique called Terrain Relative Navigation to precisely track its position and attitude using only an onboard camera and inertial navigation system. This is necessary in environments where GPS is not available, like the Moon.
Our Cansat will also be be used for 3D mapping of the ground, hazard avoidance, and safe landing site selection, critical for space missions that require landing on other hazardous planetary bodies. The application of Terrain Relative Navigation extends beyond space missions. It can be used on Earth for robotic exploration in GPS denied areas such as underwater, indoor, caves, radio contested warzones, forests, and urban cities.