Guidance, Navigation, and Control for the Moon, Mars, and Beyond

The interdisciplinary field known as Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) has been one of the key contributors to the tremendous advancements in space exploration since the inception of the Mercury and Apollo programs. These advancements have revolutionized science, communications, and, ultimately, the lives of billions of people. With the increasing complexity and frequency of missions—at the time of writing, only a few hours have passed since SpaceX successfully captured its Starship’s Super Heavy reusable booster using the Mechazilla’s chopsticks system)[1]—the pursuit of more efficient, sustainable solutions, and even more ambitious programs, continues to shape the future of space exploration.