ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Star tracker

Hi there! Do you know what a star is? It's a big ball of hot gas that shines really bright in the sky at night. Now, imagine you are a spaceship, flying far away from Earth, and you need to know exactly where you are in space. This is where the star tracker comes in!

A star tracker is like a camera that takes pictures of the stars in the sky. But it's not just any camera, it's a special camera that can see the stars even when it's really dark outside. The star tracker takes pictures of the stars and then compares them to a map of the stars that we have here on Earth. This helps the spaceship figure out exactly where it is in space.

Think of it like a treasure map. The stars are like different landmarks on the map, and the star tracker is like a special tool that helps you find those landmarks. By using the star tracker, the spaceship can figure out where it is and where it needs to go next.

So, to sum it up, a star tracker is a special camera that helps spaceships figure out where they are in space by taking pictures of the stars and comparing them to a map of the stars. It's like a treasure map that helps you find your way in space!
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