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The closest unit I can think of right now was the SR-71's celestial navigation unit. I don't know how it worked internally, but it supposedly navigated the spy
by gmueckl 2y ago
The closest unit I can think of right now was the SR-71's celestial navigation unit. I don't know how it worked internally, but it supposedly navigated the spy planes to targets across the globe before GPS existed.
- nine_k 2y agoA number of ICBMs used / uses a similar approach. In space, stars are always visible well, and terrestrial navigation aids may have been jammed or destroyed when ICBMs are put to use.
- ttepasse 2y agoFrom one SR-71 memoir I remember the factoid that sometimes the electromechanical star tracker was sensitive enough to catch stars in the daylight while the plane was still on the ground. Makes one wonder what is possible now with modern digital photographic sensors and processing power. And miniaturisation of course, the 60s celestial navigation unit was the size of a fridge.
- bigfatkitten 2y agoMany aircraft, mostly numbers had similar systems.