[NASA]. An Alta-X drone flies an advanced guidance and navigation system known as the Safe and Precise Landing – Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) experiment.
The flight test was conducted near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026.
Researchers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston developed SPLICE, which successfully completed simulated lunar descent and landing maneuvers during recent testing.
SPLICE will help spacecraft land precisely and detect and avoid potential hazards, which is critical for NASA missions to the Moon and to Mars.
Davis Adams, project manager, sitting, and Jeanette Harper, flight software team member, check the (SPLICE) guidance and navigation system. NASA ID: AFRC2026-0179-31 Date Created:2026-08-27 Larger image
