Goddard Engineering and Technology Directorate

NavCube3-mini Multi-GNSS Receiver Technology 

NavCube3-mini Multi-GNSS Receiver Technology. Photo of NC3m vs. previous generation MMS Navigator
NavCube3-mini Multi-GNSS Receiver Technology. Photo of NC3m vs. previous generation MMS Navigator

GNSS receiver technology provides multiple benefits to lunar applications

The NavCube3-mini (NC3m) is a low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) multi-frequency, multi-GNSS receiver developed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

The NC3m GNSS receiver derives heritage from the high-altitude GPS receiver Navigator used on the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) which launched in 2015 and has been operating for almost a decade in highly elliptic orbits, with apogee distance nearly half that of the distance to the Moon. The NC3m is an evolution of the MMS-Navigator that specifically targets the lunar regime and successfully achieved Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6) status in late 2022. It continues to be actively updated and enhanced. The receiver consists of a GNSS RF card, processor card, low voltage power converter card (LVPC), backplane card, custom enclosure, and flight software and firmware. Mission-dependent external components include an antenna, front-end electronics, and an external oscillator. The GNSS RF card handles down-conversion, filtering, and analog-to-digital conversion for received GNSS signals, while the LVPC and backplane provide power services and interconnections between the various cards, respectively. The enclosure, built from space-grade hardware, is designed to withstand the stresses of launch and protect against space radiation and electromagnetic interference. Flight software and firmware on the processor card perform baseband signal processing of GNSS signals.

Use of GNSS receiver technology provides multiple benefits to lunar applications including:

  • Leverages existing Earth-based navigation and timing infrastructure
  • Enables reliable onboard, real-time, autonomous navigation
  • Supports Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services
  • Supports lunar relay and communication architecture
  • Reduces ground support and network loading
  • Lowers operational costs
  • Enhances scientific applications through high-accuracy PNT

NC3m GNSS Receiver Key Features:

  • Fast signal acquisition capabilities
  • Enhanced weak signal acquisition and tracking (below 25 dB-Hz)
  • Multi-constellation support: GPS L1 C/A and L5 (or L2C), and Galileo E1 and E5a (in development)
  • Suitable for multiple orbit regimes: LEO, GEO, HEO, and lunar space
  • Integrated onboard navigation filter: Goddard Enhanced Onboard Navigation System (GEONS)
  • Radiation tolerant design
  • 1 PPS output available
  • Highly configurable and on-orbit re-programmable firmware and software
  • Flight software follows NPR7150.2D
  • Low SWaP: size: 125 cubic inch, mass: 1.6 kg, power: 13 W
  • RS422 or LVDS interface for command/telemetry
  • Compatible with standard 28V bus power
Collaboration and Licensing Opportunities:

The NC3m is a US Patented Technology and is now available for collaboration and licensing opportunities.

NC3m GNSS Receiver Technology is managed by ETD’s Mission Engineering & System Analysis Division (MESA). Contact MESA for more information.