Year: 2010
Type: preprint
Abstract: Usually, positions of spacecraft on interplanetary or deep space missions are determined by radar tracking from ground stations, a method by which uncertainty increases with distance from Earth. As an alternative, a spacecraft equipped with e.g. an X-ray telescope could determine its position autonomoulsy via onboard analysis of X-ray pulsar signals. In order to find out which pulsars are best suited for this approach and what accuracy can be achieved, we build up a database containing the temporal emission characteristics of the ~ 60 X-ray pulsars for which a pulsed radiation has been detected by mid 2010.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Bernhardt, Mike Georg, Prinz, Tobias, Becker, Werner, Walter, Ulrich
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2949782852