Hardware development and measurements of solar Doppler shift for spacecraft orbit determination

Autonomous spacecraft navigation throughout our solar system (or wherever the Sun is the dominant visible body) can in theory be achieved by using the Sun as a navigation reference body. This allows a self-contained navigation system to guide a spacecraft into any orbit in the solar system, with no need for ground support. One key to developing such a system is knowledge of the radial velocity of the spacecraft relative to the Sun. Current methods for taking the measurement are discussed in detail and current laboratory results are presented. Future research and the orbit determination algorithm will be included.