NASA Tests Self-Guided Terrain Camera in Near Space for Artemis Missions
NASA has successfully conducted a balloon test of its Compact Large-sensor Imaging Camera (CLIC 2), a self-guided terrain camera designed for future Moon and Mars missions. Launched from Fort Sumner, New Mexico, the payload reached an altitude of approximately 126,000 feet, operating for nearly four hours in a near-space environment. The CLIC 2 system is crucial because it processes terrain data autonomously and in real-time during descent, without requiring signals from Earth. This capability is vital for safe landings in rugged, scientifically interesting terrains that are inaccessible to older spacecraft. The test is part of NASA's broader Safe and Precise Landing Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) program, which aims to develop a full suite of sensors and computing power to achieve highly accurate landings, such as the 50-meter target for Artemis crewed lunar missions. 
