Space Navigation

space navigation

[′spās ‚nav·ə‚gā·shən] (navigation) Determination of the three-dimensional position and velocity vector of a space vehicle relative to a selected frame of reference.

Space Navigation

 

in the broad sense, control of the motion of a spacecraft; in a narrower meaning, the navigational problem is the determination of the location of a spacecraft and the projection of its motion as a mass point. The system that performs these functions (the space navigation system) usually includes on-board and earth-based measuring and computing equipment. The astronaut may participate in solving problems of space navigation.