On October 8, 2026, the European Space Agency (ESA) reported the conclusion of an 11-day FASTNAV field campaign in Fuerteventura, Spain. The terrestrial trials tested autonomous rover movement across volcanic terrain for technology intended for future lunar missions.
FASTNAV’s field campaign ended in Fuerteventura
The rover navigated terrain with lava boulders and dunes. The campaign included short validation runs and longer missions, with trials in different lighting conditions and overnight. It was an Earth-based test, not a lunar deployment.
FASTNAV within NOMAD
FASTNAV is a guidance, navigation and control (GNC) module in NOMAD, a broader navigation system developed by GMV UK with support from GMV Spain. The campaign focused on maturing RAPID, an earlier Technology Development Element activity, and integrating HAWKEYE, which adds AI-assisted awareness of terrain and hazards.
NOMAD is intended to help future rovers respond to obstacles and adjust their routes without stopping, including in low-visibility conditions. ANIME/LUPIN is a separate positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) module in the system. ESA says the activity was co-funded through its General Support Technology Programme (GSTP) De-Risk Framework with GMV UK.
The target speed and flight readiness
ESA gives FASTNAV a target speed of about 1 meter per second (m/s), or 3.6 kilometers per hour. That is the system’s intended speed; ESA described the software as not yet flight-ready on October 8, 2026.
