Grace Gao is bringing GPS and autonomous rovers to outer space
As many as 200 moon missions are planned in the next decade. How will future astronauts and rovers traverse the lunar landscape?
Professor Gao’s lab is working on several projects to aid in exploring the moon. Her lab is designing shoebox-sized satellites that will enable GPS-like navigation. She is also developing an array of autonomous rovers—including a swarm of collaborative mini-rovers, and an endurance rover capable of traveling 2,000 kilometers across a permanently shadowed moon region. Watch this video of Professor Gao’s talk at Stanford’s 2024 Reunion/Homecoming event to learn more about her lab’s latest developments in lunar navigation and vehicles.
Grace Gao, PhD ’08, is an associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics. The work of her Navigation and Autonomous Vehicles Lab has applications for autonomous vehicles across land, air, and space. She received the National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2018 and the Institute of Navigation Early Achievement Award in 2008, and has earned several teaching and advising awards.
