New technology could help track astronauts and robots on the moon, Raytheon Co. [RTN] announced.

Raytheon worked on the technology with Hamilton Sundstrand, a unit of United Technologies Corp. [UTX].

This work successfully demonstrated capabilities of the MicroLight networked communications and navigation system at a NASA desert research and technical studies annual demonstration, according to the company.

Raytheon MicroLight radio provides voice, data and situational awareness information to all users on its network. One feature of the system enables each user on the network to know the location of other users at all times.

As NASA sends its next generation of astronauts to the moon, along with their robot helpers, that capability will be vital.

Raytheon hopes to transition that technology to space as NASA readies for future missions to the moon, Mars and beyond.

“Leveraging our Department of Defense technologies to meet the mission of NASA is a natural extension of our integrated solutions,” said Jerry Powlen, vice president, Raytheon Network Centric Systems integrated communications systems. “One of the clear benefits to NASA is minimal investment in new technology because these systems are proven and readily applied to space.”