Spacecraft can dock autonomously by calculating the echoes of their own radio waves
Operating like a blindfolded pilot navigating by sound, the Kurs radar system allows spacecraft to dock with the International Space Station by analyzing radio wave echoes with incredible sub-decimeter precision.
The Kurs radar system enables spacecraft like the Progress cargo vessel to execute complex dockings from distances up to 200 kilometers. By emitting S-band radio waves and calculating the returning echoes, the system determines relative velocity and range with a precision of just 10 centimeters. This autonomous technology measures the Doppler shift to predict necessary collision avoidance burns, allowing vessels to transition from 300 meters per second to a gentle contact.
There's more to this story — open the app to keep reading.