NASA Crater Detection Challenge
- NASA is launching a challenge to develop methods for reliably detecting crater rims in lunar images.
- The goal is to advance future space exploration by improving terrain-based optical navigation using visible-light cameras on spacecraft.
- The project involves processing orbital images of lunar terrain to detect crater rims, identify craters from a catalog, and estimate camera/vehicle position based on identified craters.
- The challenge focuses on the crater detection process, which is expected to be impacted by variations in natural lighting.
- Winners will receive $55,000 in total prizes, with the open date set for November 25, 2025, and the close date set for January 19, 2026.
Crater rims are vital landmarks for planetary science and navigation. Yet detecting them in real imagery is tough, with shadows, lighting shifts, and broken edges obscuring their shape.
This project invites you to develop methods that can reliably fit ellipses to crater rims, helping advance future space exploration.
In the pursuit of next generation, terrain-based optical navigation, NASA is developing a system that will use a visible-light camera on a spacecraft to capture orbital images of lunar terrain and process the imagery to:
- detect the crater rims in the images,
- identify the craters from a catalog, and
- estimate the camera/vehicle position based on the identified craters.
The focus of this project is the crater detection process.
Natural imagery varies significantly in lighting and will impact the completeness of crater rims in the images.
Award: $55,000 in total prizes
Open Date: November 25, 2025
Close Date: January 19, 2026
For more information, visit: https://www.topcoder.com/nasa-crater-detection
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Q. What is the main objective of this project?
A. The main objective of this project is to develop methods that can reliably fit ellipses to crater rims, helping advance future space exploration.
Q. Why is detecting crater rims in real imagery challenging?
A. Detecting crater rims in real imagery is challenging due to shadows, lighting shifts, and broken edges that obscure their shape.
Q. What are the three main tasks involved in the NASA Crater Detection Challenge?
A. The three main tasks involved in the challenge are: (1) detecting crater rims in images, (2) identifying craters from a catalog, and (3) estimating the camera/vehicle position based on identified craters.
Q. How will the system use the detected crater rims to estimate the camera/vehicle position?
A. The system will use the detected crater rims to estimate the camera/vehicle position by analyzing the location of the craters in relation to known landmarks or features.
Q. What is the focus of this project?
A. The focus of this project is on the crater detection process.
Q. How much prize money is available for this challenge?
A. $55,000 in total prizes are available for this challenge.
Q. When can participants submit their entries for this challenge?
A. Participants can submit their entries from November 25, 2025, to January 19, 2026.
Q. What type of camera will be used by the spacecraft to capture orbital images of lunar terrain?
A. A visible-light camera will be used by the spacecraft to capture orbital images of lunar terrain.
Q. Why is natural imagery varying significantly in lighting a concern for this challenge?
A. Natural imagery varying significantly in lighting can impact the completeness of crater rims in the images, making it more challenging to detect them accurately.
Q. Where can participants find more information about the NASA Crater Detection Challenge?
A. Participants can find more information about the challenge by visiting https://www.topcoder.com/nasa-crater-detection.
