Roid Rage Big Momentum Is Selling You More Inertia
Jan 22, 2026
Join experts discussing the intricacies of orbital determination in deep space. They creatively explain navigation methods without GPS and how onboard sensors work, often discarding accelerometer data. The conversation dives into using lunar flybys and navigating challenges for return missions. Additionally, they explore the balance of automation in mission planning and the fascinating role of quasars and pulsars in providing precise measurements. The team debates the future of asteroid mining and the trade-offs between speed and safety.
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GPS Isn’t A Deep-Space Panacea
- Most deep-space missions can't rely on GPS like LEO satellites do because GPS coverage and usefulness drop with distance from Earth.
- AstroForge uses onboard gyros and discards noisy accelerometer data, combining dynamics and ground measurements to locate spacecraft.
Ranging + Dynamics Unlock Precision
- Ground-based ranging and Doppler give precise distance and velocity measurements which, combined with orbital dynamics, pin down spacecraft state.
- Those measurements can yield meter-level range and centimeter-per-second velocity accuracy but need long timescales to resolve slow deep-space dynamics.
Automate The OD-to-Operations Loop
- Automate orbit determination and mission replanning to handle rapid re-design after critical events like lunar flybys.
- Build pipelines that chain OD outputs into trajectory updates, ground-pass planning, and scheduling to scale operations.