China’s hypersonic weapons can be guided by the stars if GPS fails: report

Guangdong researchers build prototype star sensor after developing a way to accurately predict how starlight bends at extreme speeds

Hypersonic weapons are difficult to intercept, making them a key strategic asset in global competition, but they generally require navigation systems that are highly autonomous and precise.

Before the age of electronic instruments, sailors used tools like sextants to observe the sky and steer by the North Star.

Modern electronic systems can do something similar. By tracking the natural, predictable movements of stars, they can calculate a vehicle’s position and motion in space. This method is known as celestial navigation.

Unlike inertial systems that rely on ground stations or satellites, celestial navigation is completely self-contained and immune to external electromagnetic interference.