Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology (SEXTANT)

NASA has invented a new type of autonomous space navigation that could see human-made spacecraft heading into the far reaches of the Solar System, and even farther – by using pulsars as guide stars. It’s called Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology, or SEXTANT

What is it?

  • it uses X-ray technology to see millisecond pulsars, using them much like a GPS uses satellites.
  • SEXTANT works like a GPS receiver getting signals from at least three GPS satellites, all of which are equipped with atomic clocks. The receiver m

    BENEFIT:

  • It will enable sustained human presence throughout the solar system, as well as enhance and enable science in the outer solar system and beyond.
  • High bandwidth communications and advanced navigation capabilities will enable future deep space exploration of the solar system and pinpoint navigation in near-Earth space.
  • The X-ray navigation (XNAV) and communications (XCOM) project elements will focus on the development of the X-ray based technologies capable of providing accurate autonomous navigation and high bandwidth communications, respectively, beyond the inner solar system.
  • easures the time delay from each satellite and converts this into spatial coordinates.

What are Pulsar

A special kind of neutron star, known as a pulsar, emits periodic -- or repeating -- bursts of radio waves, X-rays and gamma rays 

Image Source: https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/xray-navigation_v3.jpg

Download this article as PDF by sharing it

Thanks for sharing, PDF file ready to download now

Sorry, in order to download PDF, you need to share it

Share Download