GIANT stands for Goddard Image Analysis and Navigation Tool, and it is basically an optical navigation software. That's right, it uses images snapped by cameras, lidar, and other sensors to find the best way forward, kind of like we humans do when we use our eyes to see where we're going.

Simply put, GIANT only needs a picture of the target to be able to determine distance, the mass and center of a spinning object, and even identify landmarks on the surface of a celestial body. Three-dimensional maps of potential landing zones can also be generated, complete with potential hazards.

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[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 55 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Scientific method = stumbled on?

[–] Carvex@lemmy.world 48 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Years of scientific method, design, testing, and development reduced to an accident by a reporter.

[–] Tattorack@lemmy.world 23 points 1 year ago

I hate science journalism...

[–] DoomBot5@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

Many great discovers were made by accident. This isn't one of them.

[–] Ghostlight@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

I play heavenly bodies on pc, so I'm fully qualified to expand on this topic, and even I don't understand it.