GPS now functional in space – Revealing autonomous interplanetary travel nearby to actuality

A precise technique for navigation of spacecraft takes a step forward as a novel research discloses that the position of spacecraft in the direction of a specific pulsar can be estimated autonomously, utilizing a tiny X-ray telescope on board the craft, to a precision of 2 kilometres.

The research has been introduced by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and also the University of Leicester. The technique utilizes X-rays that are released from pulsars that are useful to identify the location of craft in space to a precision level of 30km at an expanse of Neptune. Pulsars are lifeless stars that generate radiation in the type of X-rays and other electromagnetic waves. For a specific sort of pulsar known as ‘millisecond pulsars,’ the radiation pulses formed with regularity and accuracy of an atomic structure and could be utilized much like GPS.

The research details about the distance of the spacecraft and pulsar from the Sun. The simulations took such data and tested the concept of triangulation by pulsars with present technology and carried the analysis of the position, timing, and velocity. Although, most of the X-ray telescopes are big and would enable greater precision, the panel emphasized on technology that could be tiny and small enough to be introduced in future as a component of a practical spacecraft subsystem.

The key findings of this study are that at a close distance of 30 astronomical units, the adequate distance of from Earth to Neptune – a precision of 2km or 5km can be estimated in the direction of a specific pulsar, known as PSR B1937+21, by linking onto the pulsar for one or ten hours respectively. Also, by linking three pulsars, a 3-dimensional location with a precision of 30km can be estimated.

According to Dr. Setnam Shemar, a senior Researcher, NPL said, “Our potential to explore the solar system has augmented over the past few years missions such as New Horizons and Rosetta are near this. How such craft moves in upcoming becomes a challenging factor to their goals. The expense of maintaining current big ground-based communications systems grounded on radio waves is big, and they can only interact with a tiny number of spacecraft at a point of time. With the use of pulsars as situation beacons in space, combining with space atomic device enables for greater and autonomy capability in the exterior solar system. The employment of such lifeless stars form or another has the capability to become a novel technique for navigating in intense space and in time beyond the solar system.”

The Space Research Centre Manager of the University of Leicester, Dr. John Pye states, “Up until now, the method of pulsar-based navigation has been witnessed as that a method. The simulation utilizes technology in the virtual-world and proves its efficiencies for this task. The X-ray telescope can be possibly launched into space because of its small size and low weight. The timing analysis of NPL has been introduced over the years because of its lengthy heritage in atomic clocks. We are linking a novel era of space exploration as we examine intensely into our solar system.”