Did You Know?

Navigators at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have “NAG” (Navigation Advisory Group) meetings. These sometimes lively sessions are attended by navigation and mission design analysts who are cross-checking their efforts on current missions. The acronym has verb-like qualities, such as “Has the team been NAGed about their proposed change?”
Meet The Navigator

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Navigating in space is a team effort. Most navigation for spacecraft exploring the solar system happens on the ground.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory near Pasadena, California, directs many of those voyages. The following five groups of specialists work together to model the ideal mission and then track the spacecraft once it is underway.

Ephemerides Group

Calculates the positions of astronomical objects at predicted times.

Orbit Determination Analysts

Study radio transmissions and images from cameras to determine the spacecraft’s current location.

Maneuver Designers

Plan propulsive maneuvers to keep the spacecraft on the correct flight path.

Radiometric Tracking Team

Assesses techniques for acquiring and improving the accuracy of radio-based measurements of the spacecraft’s velocity, location, and angle relative to Earth.

Trajectory Designers

Plot the most efficient path for the spacecraft.