Alexandria Terry, a Physics graduate student and McDonnell Center Graduate Fellow, has been nominated by NASA to participate as an early-career researcher in a Keck Institute for Space Studies study on pulsar-based navigation and timekeeping for space exploration this November. 

Hosted by Caltech and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the workshop will bring together researchers to explore how pulsars – rapidly rotating neutron stars that emit remarkably regular pulses – could serve as natural, highly precise timing beacons for spacecraft. 

As humanity looks toward expanded exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond, pulsar-based systems could provide spacecraft with autonomous navigation and timekeeping capabilities without relying on Earth-based infrastructure such as GPS or continuous communication links. 

Terry will join experts from across the field to help explore how these cosmic signals could support the next generation of space exploration. We’re excited to see Alexandria bring her perspective to this cutting-edge work and look forward to following where the experience takes her.