guidance computer
Trajectory calculation system
A guidance computer is a specialized onboard computer that calculates and controls the trajectory of a vehicle—typically a spacecraft, missile, or aircraft.
It processes navigation data and makes real-time adjustments to keep the vehicle on course: The Apollo guidance computer was revolutionary for its time.
The term appears in aviation, aerospace, and military contexts.
- navigationDetermining position and course
- flight pathPlanned aerial trajectory
- ApolloSun deity, moonshot namesake
- Apollo 11First manned lunar landing
- autopilotAutomated vehicle guidance system
trajectory · spacecraft · mission control · ground control · mission critical · go for launch · Margaret Hamilton · onboard · processor · lunar · astronaut · orbital · flight · targeting · NASA · module · calculations · mainframe
guidance computermanual control
Human-directed action
manual steering · dead reckoning · analog controls · pilotage · celestial navigation
guidance computerdead reckoning
Position-tracking via estimated motion
celestial navigation · sextant · astrolabe · magnetic compass · paper charts
guidance, computer, guide, compute, guided, guiding, guides, guider, misguide