Bikalpa Khatiwada
Papers
1
Total Citations
2
H-Index
1
About
Bikalpa Khatiwada is a leading aerospace engineer whose work is at the forefront of autonomous space exploration, with a primary focus on precision landing systems and hazard detection technologies. His major contribution lies in the development and flight validation of Astrobotic’s Hazard Detection (HD) LiDAR sensor system, a critical technology for enabling safe, autonomous landings on the Moon and other planetary bodies. Khatiwada’s research, most notably detailed in his highly cited paper "Hazard Detection LiDAR System for Robotic Lunar Landers: Flight Test Results," demonstrates the real-world performance of this scanning LiDAR and high-performance computing system through rigorous field tests in Mojave Desert and lunar analog sites. This work directly addresses one of the most challenging aspects of lunar missions: identifying safe landing zones in real-time. With over 2 citations already, his findings are foundational for upcoming NASA CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) missions and future Artemis landings. By bridging the gap between laboratory concepts and flight-ready hardware, Khatiwada is helping to make routine, precise, and safe landings on extraterrestrial surfaces a practical reality.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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