Roid Rage Dude, Where's My Spacecraft?
Mar 27, 2025
In a captivating discussion, Armand Wad, Head of GNC at AstroForge and expert in aeronautics, unravels the complexities of Guidance, Navigation, and Control in spacecraft. He draws intriguing parallels between GNC systems and the human nervous system. Armand shares thrilling tales of unexpected in-flight anomalies, like recovering from a GPS power failure, and discusses the unique challenges of asteroid rendezvous. Insightful comparisons between rockets and spacecraft GNC requirements highlight the intricacies of autonomous operations and mission success.
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GNC Is The Spacecraft Brain
- GNC is the spacecraft "brain" combining guidance, navigation, and control to sense and act.
- Sensors like star trackers, gyros, and accelerometers feed software that decides and commands motion.
Know Hardware To Write Better GNC Software
- Learn the hardware while writing GNC software to make effective algorithms.
- Understand component limits and failure modes so your software handles real-world conditions.
Same Physics, Different Time Scales
- Rocket and spacecraft GNC use the same physics but face different mission constraints.
- Rockets demand short, intense performance; spacecraft must operate reliably over years with anomaly handling.