Vincent E. Roback

About

Vincent E. Roback is a pioneering NASA researcher specializing in lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) technology for autonomous spacecraft navigation, precision landing, and hazard avoidance on planetary bodies. His work has been central to advancing the capabilities needed for safe robotic and crewed missions across the solar system, including the Moon and Mars. Roback's most significant contributions stem from his involvement in NASA's Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project, where he helped develop and validate cutting-edge lidar sensor suites capable of generating real-time 3D terrain maps, measuring altitude with high precision, and identifying safe landing zones under challenging conditions. His most cited work, "Lidar Systems for Precision Navigation and Safe Landing on Planetary Bodies" (2011, 79 citations), laid important groundwork for the field, while subsequent publications documented rigorous helicopter and rocket-propelled lander flight tests that brought these systems from laboratory concepts to operational reality. A landmark achievement in his career was the first-ever closed-loop flight demonstration using 3D Flash Lidar aboard the Morpheus lander, autonomously detecting hazards and guiding a vehicle to a lunar-like landing field. With nearly 200 cumulative citations, Roback's research has meaningfully shaped modern planetary landing technology and continues to influence next-generation mission design.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Lidar systems for precision navigation and safe landing on planetary bodies

   79 citations · 2011
2. 2
   Lidar Sensors for Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance

   40 citations · 2013
3. 3
   Helicopter flight test of 3D imaging flash LIDAR technology for safe, autonomous, and precise planetary landing

   27 citations · 2013
4. 4
   Preparation and Integration of ALHAT Precision Landing Technology for Morpheus Flight Testing

   14 citations · 2014
5. 5
   Helicopter Flight Test of a Compact, Real-Time 3-D Flash Lidar for Imaging Hazardous Terrain during Planetary Landing

   14 citations · 2013
6. 6
   3-D Flash Lidar Performance in Flight Testing on the Morpheus Autonomous, Rocket-Propelled Lander to a Lunar-Like Hazard Field

   9 citations
7. 7
   Lidar Sensor Performance in Closed-Loop Flight Testing of the Morpheus Rocket-Propelled Lander to a Lunar-Like Hazard Field

   5 citations
8. 8
   Lidar Sensor Performance in Closed-Loop Flight Testing of the Morpheus Rocket-Propelled Lander to a Lunar-Like Hazard Field

   4 citations · 2015
9. 9
   Advancing Lidar Sensors Technologies for Next Generation Landing Missions

   3 citations

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links