Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Future deep space missions use technology that combines propulsion system advancements with autonomous navigation. Chemical propulsion systems can’t handle excessive fuel consumption and tasks that go beyond the short term. Ion propulsion and nuclear propulsion deliver better specific impulse and fuel efficiency for near-fast interplanetary flight. The ion propulsion on NASA’s Dawn spacecraft extends mission duration while using less fuel than conventional systems, but nuclear power generates enough power to explore interplanetary space. Modern automated navigation is a critical system to minimize human intervention when operating spacecraft over long distances. Extended missions have trouble keeping real-time Earth communication links due to mission distance, which introduces signal delay problems. When spacecraft integrate inertial navigation with star trackers and artificial intelligence, their computers can do real-time tasks like trajectory changes and mission changes, and space obstacle avoidance.
DOI: 10.14419/ddqmsv22
Institution: Kalinga University
Subfield: Aerospace Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4415764177
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