China’s hypersonic weapons can now use the stars for guidance when satellite systems like GPS or BeiDou are jammed or fail, according to a project led by the Guangdong Aerospace Research Academy that passed its final expert review on Monday. According to a report published by the academy on August 10, researchers set out to tackle the challenge of developing a star-based navigation system that would be able to function at the extreme speeds of hypersonic flight – Mach 5 and above. Hypersonic weapons are difficult to intercept, making them a key strategic asset in global competition, but they generally require navigation systems that are highly autonomous and precise.

Full report : Chinese researchers build prototype star sensor after developing a way to accurately predict how starlight bends at extreme speeds.