Skip to content
AsteriaStar
Component

Flight Computer

The central processor that runs a spacecraft — executing command sequences, controlling subsystems, and reacting to faults. Deep-space computers are radiation-hardened and modest by consumer standards, prizing reliability over speed.

Part of Command & Data Handling (Avionics)

Knowledge connections

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.