How do spacecraft navigate in space?
In: Planetary Science
Basically via simulation these days. A course is simulated including burn times, when to burn, gravity, and a bunch of other stuff. The spacecraft then follows said course to get where it’s going. This stuff used to be done by hand, it’s all preplanned out regardless of what method you use. Computers are just way easier in today’s world.
Unless you literally mean how a spacecraft knows what direction it’s facing, in that case they orient relative to the sun and stars.
Latest Answers