Pilots navigate aircraft in two separate ways, abbreviated IFR and VFR. IFR is a term pilots use for “Instrument flight rules”, as opposed to “visual flight rules.” Visual is when a pilot flies by using his eyes to reference terrain, and uses his instruments as a secondary reference. They are necessary – for example, a pilot cannot tell with any precision his height above the ground without looking at the altimeter.

But with Instrument Flight Rules the pilot only uses his instruments. Ocean vessels are also captained when necessary in weather conditions by IFR methods.

In the book, it’s proposed that given the existing databases of lunar terrain, accurate down to a half meter for most of the Moon, IFR navigation of rovers on the lunar surface is plausible.  Continue reading Rovers Using IFR Navigation on the Moon? →