NVIDIA will test its AI module on the moon for the first time

The American company Lunar Outpost announced cooperation with NVIDIA as part of the preparation of a new lunar expedition. During the Lunar Voyage 2 mission, the experimental rover will use the NVIDIA Jetson computing platform, which will handle data processing directly on the surface of the Earth’s satellite.

Artificial intelligence will help the lunar rover make decisions faster

Instead of constantly transmitting unprocessed information to Earth, the rover will be able to independently analyze incoming data. Jetson will be responsible for processing information from lidars and other sensors, as well as compressing files before sending them over a limited communication channel.

This approach will significantly reduce the volume of data and speed up the operation of the device. Part of the calculations will be performed locally, thanks to which the rover will be able to more quickly assess the surrounding environment and make decisions while moving.

Reliability of the platform still needs to be tested

At the same time, Lunar Outpost has not yet revealed which NVIDIA Jetson modification will be used in the project. The company also did not say how the computing module is planned to be protected from cosmic radiation, extreme temperatures and other factors typical of the lunar environment.

As noted by TechCrunch, engineers consider Jetson as an alternative to their own on-board computing system, which has already been used in space missions. The tests should show whether the higher performance of the NVIDIA platform justifies the possible risks of operating less proven hardware outside of Earth.

Jetson will be part of several lunar projects at once

The launch of the device to the Reiner Gamma region of the moon is planned until the end of 2026. If the mission is successful, NVIDIA hardware could become the first graphics processor to work directly on the surface of the moon.
The use of NVIDIA technologies will not be limited to one expedition. In the next Lunar Voyage 3 and Lunar Voyage 5 missions, the Jetson computing modules are planned to be used to build three-dimensional terrain maps and process sensor data in real time for operators.