The X-ray pulsar navigation technology and recent progresses in deep space exploration

X-ray pulsars were used for spacecraft navigation at the beginning of the discovery as their super stability spin periods (periodic changing rate 10(-19)-10(-21)). It is hopeful to get rid of the support of ground facility systems, which can be a real sense of spacecraft autonomous navigation in the large temporal and spatial range. Considering the pulsars radiation luminance, periodic instability and time of approach (TOA) uncertainty, the autonomous navigation accuracy can be achieved the order of kilometer magnitude. This paper reviews the X-ray pulsars navigation principle and the navigation missions in orbit in recent years. Finally, the study progresses of the X-ray pulsar telescope in our team are introduced. These efforts can be usefully for autonomous navigation in the future deep space exploration.