The present invention provides an innovative apparatus and method for onboard spacecraft location determination and navigation by employing observations of extrasolar planetary star systems. In one apparatus embodiment a gas absorption cell is placed between a sensor and the light from a reference star system with at least one exoplanet, such that the sensor can detect the spectrum through the gas absorption cell. Radial velocities can be calculated via Doppler Spectroscopy techniques and incorporated into a spacecraft navigation solution. Additional embodiments incorporate other spacecraft sensor or system data to derive a filtered navigation solution. The present invention can enable and enhance significant mission capabilities for future manned and unmanned space vehicles and missions.
Apparatus and method for spacecraft navigation incorporating extrasolar planetary system observations
2022-11-15
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | G01C Messen von Entfernungen, Höhen, Neigungen oder Richtungen , MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS / B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS / G01J Messen der Intensität, der Geschwindigkeit, der spektralen Zusammensetzung, der Polarisation, der Phase oder der Pulscharakteristik von infrarotem, sichtbarem oder ultraviolettem Licht , MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRA-RED, VISIBLE OR ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT |
European Patent Office | 2020
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