How does a rocket navigate in space?

Once a rocket or is in space (e.g. on its way to mars), how does it know
where it is in relation to its pre-programmed route? There is no GPS in
space.

A wide variety of ways. It can use an onboard inertial guidance
system, it can use a sun-and-star tracker, it can be tracked from
Earth...

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

http://derekl1963.livejournal.com/

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL

:Once a rocket or is in space (e.g. on its way to mars), how does it know
:where it is in relation to its pre-programmed route? There is no GPS in
:space.

There are, however, lots of stars and such.

How do you think we found our way around before 1980?

--
"Some people get lost in thought because it's such unfamiliar
territory."
--G. Behn

fairwater@gmail.com (Derek Lyons) writes:

Basically everything navigation on earth used prior to GPS coming on
line. Well, except a magnetic compass maybe.

Jochem

--
"A designer knows he has arrived at perfection not when there is no
longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The old fashioned way, the stars.

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1 4th November 14:05 james External User Posts: 1	How does a rocket navigate in space? Once a rocket or is in space (e.g. on its way to mars), how does it know where it is in relation to its pre-programmed route? There is no GPS in space.

2 4th November 14:05 fairwater External User Posts: 1	How does a rocket navigate in space? A wide variety of ways. It can use an onboard inertial guidance system, it can use a sun-and-star tracker, it can be tracked from Earth... D. -- Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh. http://derekl1963.livejournal.com/ -Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings. Oct 5th, 2004 JDL

3 9th November 06:59 fred j. mccall External User Posts: 1	How does a rocket navigate in space? :Once a rocket or is in space (e.g. on its way to mars), how does it know :where it is in relation to its pre-programmed route? There is no GPS in :space. There are, however, lots of stars and such. How do you think we found our way around before 1980? -- "Some people get lost in thought because it's such unfamiliar territory." --G. Behn

4 9th November 06:59 jochem huhmann External User Posts: 1	How does a rocket navigate in space? fairwater@gmail.com (Derek Lyons) writes: Basically everything navigation on earth used prior to GPS coming on line. Well, except a magnetic compass maybe. Jochem -- "A designer knows he has arrived at perfection not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

5 9th November 06:59 van chocstraw External User Posts: 1	How does a rocket navigate in space? The old fashioned way, the stars.