NASA says an Alta-X drone carrying its SPLICE navigation system completed simulated lunar descent and landing maneuvers at Rogers Dry Lake in California on 27 August 2026. The agency described the Earth-based flight in its 4 November test report. No spacecraft landed on the Moon.
What did the drone test?
SPLICE is intended to help future spacecraft assess the ground beneath them during descent. NASA says its sensors produced detailed elevation maps and helped evaluate possible landing areas. If a target area appears unsafe, the guidance system is designed to direct the aircraft toward a safer one.
The Alta-X drone gave NASA a way to exercise that process on Earth. NASA’s Johnson Space Center developed the payload, while its Armstrong team supported integration and flight testing. Earlier flights in June and July checked communications and data handling between the payload and drone.
What does this mean for a Moon landing?
The August flight was a test of navigation and landing decisions under simulated conditions. NASA has not reported a measured landing-accuracy result from this exercise or a SPLICE landing on another world. The agency says the work is intended to support future robotic and crewed missions.
Cover photo: An Alta-X drone carries NASA’s SPLICE navigation payload during a 15 July 2026 flight near Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. The image predates the simulated landing maneuvers reported for 27 August. Photo: NASA/Ryan Kline.
