Starling cubesats prove GPS-free orbit navigation with optical landmarks
NASA's Starling four-cubesat mission demonstrated GPS-free navigation by using onboard cameras to observe thousands of known satellites and an onboard catalog (FALCON) to self-determine orbit and enhance space traffic awareness; the demo is being extended to at least 2028 to maximize navigation capabilities for future missions beyond Earth, including lunar exploration, while addressing GPS vulnerabilities and DoD-space PNT interests.
