Navigation system
Autonomous Navigation
Onboard software that processes optical-navigation images in real time and steers the spacecraft itself, without waiting for commands from Earth. It was pioneered by Deep Space 1 and used for terminal guidance in fast flybys and the DART impact.
Related
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
- NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.