The technologies that allow NASA to talk to and navigate spacecraft are often overlooked — perhaps because they work so well. Join us as we shine a light on the invisible networks that power space science and exploration.
The technologies that allow NASA to talk to and navigate spacecraft are often overlooked — perhaps because they work so well. Join us as we shine a light on the invisible networks that power space science and exploration.
Spacecraft near Earth have long relied on GPS signals for navigation, just as users on the ground might use their phones to navigate the highways. Farther away, navigation — and the math behind it — becomes a great deal more challenging.
"Form follows function" is an oft-cited architectural axiom. In space, form doesn’t necessarily follow function. Human space habitation is rooted, by necessity, in pragmatism. The architectures of Earth won’t work in space, but there is plenty to learn from Earthbound architectural theories as we extend our reach among the stars.
In recent years, NASA has renewed its focus on the Moon. Soon, we will look up at the Moon and rediscover a magic first experienced in 1969. It’s a magic that will flow through networks more sophisticated than ever before — an appreciation for the technological wonders that lay ahead, just above and all around us.
Every summer, fresh faces flood NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. They are the interns. Each new face comes with an idea to share — a contribution to make to the agency. Space Communications and Navigation interns contribute across many diverse disciplines, from cybersecurity to public outreach.
