NASA | SEXTANT: Navigating by Cosmic Beacon

NASA's Sextant Mission aims to revolutionize space navigation by using pulsars as navigational beacons. Pulsars, known for their precise timing, can help spacecraft determine their location in the galaxy, similar to how GPS works on Earth. This innovative approach is still in development, with potential testing on the International Space Station. The mission could enable future spacecraft to navigate to distant planets with unprecedented accuracy.

What similarities exist between pulsar-based navigation and GPS on Earth?

What is the current status of pulsar-based spacecraft navigation development?