View Single Post
Old 11-08-17, 10:28 PM   #7
Sean C
Grey Wolf
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 900
Downloads: 12
Uploads: 2


Default

Since at least 1967 there has been a guidance system available that does not rely on artificial satellites or images of the target. The MD-1 Automatic Astro Compass was a sort of automated sextant which could guide a bomber or even a missile, based on the locations of the stars in the sky.

I'm not sure if the old system would work on a missile traveling at hypersonic speeds, but according to the article linked in the first post:

Quote:
Boost glide hypersonic weapons typically sit atop a ballistic missile and ride the missile to a great height and speed, before detaching from the missile and gliding down to the target...
This probably means that the missile would be above any cloud cover for a significant portion of its flight and therefore would have a clear view of the sky under any weather conditions. With today's technology, it would likely be a relatively simple task to design a new system which could operate at higher flight speeds. I'm also not sure if the old system was capable of using the Sun/Moon/Venus/etc. during the daytime, but again, this would be a trivial matter to work out today.

A system like the MD-1 could guide the missile most of the way, providing an accurate position until under any cloud cover. At that point an INS (inertial navigation system) could take over using the last known position from the MD-1.

EDIT: As recently as 2015 one of these units was listed on eBay for a mere US$425.

Last edited by Sean C; 11-08-17 at 10:37 PM.
Sean C is offline   Reply With Quote