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Hampton, VA, March 18, 2025 – Psionic, a leader in advanced navigation and sensing technologies, is proud to announce the successful in-flight testing of its groundbreaking Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system aboard a NASA F-18 fighter jet. This achievement represents a significant step forward in high-precision navigation, with space, aviation, defense, and commercial applications.
The PSNDL system utilizes state-of-the-art lidar technology to measure distance and Doppler shifts of light reflected from the ground, enabling real-time, highly accurate velocity and altitude measurements. This breakthrough technology ensures reliable navigation, even in GPS-denied or contested environments.
The PSNDL improves upon NASA Navigation Doppler Lidar technology, which was demonstrated in space during a 2024 commercial lunar mission. It has received funding and development support from the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate through Small Business Innovative Research contracts and the Tipping Point initiative. Lidar-based sensors like PSNDL are crucial for achieving precise landings on the Moon, particularly in sunlight-challenged areas such as the south polar, as well on Mars.
In recent test flights at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, the PSNDL system, housed in an instrument pod beneath the F-18’s wing, demonstrated its capability to improve navigation precision across a range of flight conditions, including altitudes up to 30,000 feet and speeds approaching Mach 1. By utilizing vertical terrain matching algorithms with data from four independent lidar channels, the system successfully captured detailed terrain contours, showcasing its ability to determine accurate position even in challenging conditions.
“The performance of the PSNDL system during our F-18 flight tests is a major milestone for Psionic,” said William Cook, Senior Vice President of Space Operations at Psionic. “This success underscores the transformative potential of lidar-based navigation systems, enhancing accuracy and reliability for spacecraft, aircraft, and ground vehicles—key factors for space, aviation, defense, and commercial applications.”
For more information about Psionic’s innovative technologies, visit psionicnav.com.