If a coronal mass ejection knocked out GPS, vintage military tech could save the day by helping us navigate using the…
- The Angle Computer solved navigation calculations entirely through moving mechanical components
- Massive solar storms could cripple satellite navigation systems, but the Angle Computer will survive
- B-52 bomber navigators relied on celestial measurements long before modern GPS infrastructure existed
A massive coronal mass ejection from the sun would send charged particles crashing into Earth's magnetic field, an event which could induce ground currents powerful enough to destroy unprotected satellite electronics within hours.
However the Angle Computer, an electromechanical device from B-52 bombers, offers a working alternative that needs no signals from space.
This vintage technology solved spherical trigonometry problems by physically modelling the celestial sphere with moving mechanical parts.
How the B-52 navigated without GPS
Before satellites existed, B-52 navigators used a system called the Astro Compass to find their heading with remarkable precision.
The Angle Computer sat at the heart of this system, performing calculations that would normally require advanced...
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