I know its by knowing where it Isn’t, but how does it actually work?
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Note that nobody will really be able to give you the full, complete details, as it’s probably classified.
But while cruising, mostly GPS, and depending on what is being targeted, different systems (thermal, infrared, laser) can guide it to a target.
Depends on the type of missle you’re asking about. We got the ballistic missiles, we got interceptors, we got AA, we got cruise, we got all the missles , come on down to Discount Dan’s Missile market we got em all.
That being said, the guidance systems depend on the mission of the missile. An Anti Air missile would not work well with GPS, it needs to be too quick and too manueravable.
Some common methods, however, with abbreviated descriptions, are as follows
Gps-works like your smartphone but better because the government paid more.
Initerial-using onboard systems the missiles to do more math than I can to figure out where it is based on speed and maneuvers using things like onboard gyros and timers
Preset guidance – the operator told it where to go and how to get there.
Celestial- uses the stars/moon, maybe the sun to figure out where it’s going
Terrestrial – maps or pictures are programmed on board, and the device takes periodic “looks” to compare to the images and figures out where it is.
Magnetic- uses a compass like Grandad did.
Sensors – possible heat detection/radar functions. Fun fact missiles using heat get lost sometimes after locking on the sun.
This isn’t everything possible, just a brief overview. Many missiles also use multiple systems to ensure accuracy.
This (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZe5J8SVCYQ) explains everthing.
Before GPS, **inertial navigation** (three spinning gyroscopes that tilt when “your” path varies from the path you’re supposed to travel) was used.
Thus, the missile (**or airplane**) didn’t know where it was; it just knew *how far away* it was from where it was *supposed to be.* Other hardware would detect such drift (from, say, crosswinds or slightly unequal thrust by the engines) and then automatically correct the course.
IOW, **it’s an autopilot**. (It’s how the first practical autopilots were designed.)
To use it, you must know:
1. where you are (starting point),
2. where you want to go,
3. what route to travel, and
4. at what speed to travel.
Put that into the (possibly mechanical) computer, and take off.
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