Mission Control was awarded up to $2 million by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to provide its iSPI+ infrared sensing system for Canada’s Lunar Utility Rover.
iSPI+, which stands for Intelligent Sensing and Perception in Infrared: Parallelizing Lunar Utility and Science, is an AI-powered, thermal-infrared sensor being developed by Mission Control.
Mission Control says the funding will “kickstart” development of iSPI+ concept technology, a “next-generation instrument” and that iSPI+ “combines advanced thermal-infrared sensing with autonomous decision-making to support lunar science and rover operations.”
Using AI, the instrument will “identify scientifically relevant features on the lunar surface, prioritize high-value targets, and task data collection in near real time,” without the need of “constant human oversight.”
This is the second contract awarded to Mission Control for the Lunar Utility Vehicle. In July the Canadian Space Agency awarded three companies, Canadensys Aerospace, MDA Space and Mission Control, technology study contracts valued at $14.6 million split between the companies.
Dr. Tanya Harrison, Mission Control’s Director of Earth and Space Science said, “Being selected for both the rover development and this science instrument contract reflects the hard work, technical progress, and dedication of our entire team. We’ve invested years into advancing autonomous space technologies, and iSPI+ is a direct result of that commitment.”
Dr. Catherine Neish, an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Western University added, “iSPI+ will revolutionize our understanding of the fine-scale temperature structure of the lunar surface. This will allow us to identify features like ‘micro cold traps,’ small pockets of low temperatures that could host water ice and other volatiles. Current orbital instruments do not have sufficient resolution to locate these important reservoirs.”
The Mission Control award announced today was part of larger announcement by the CSA for the Lunar Utility Vehicle. The CSA awarded $3.8 million in total to Mission Control, ABB Inc., Bornea Dynamics Ltd., and Bubble Technology Industries “to advance instrument concepts to support essential scientific activities aligned with the needs of several international partners.”