“Who would have guessed a little slice of Westeros would make its way to the final frontier?”

Game of Thrones viewers, you will be delighted to know that even NASA enjoys the beloved, binge worthy show. On February 18, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will be sent out to space, housing on it one of NASA’s “three-eyed” Raven technology modules.

Raven, is a technology-filled module on the International Space Station that will help NASA test key elements of a new spacecraft “autopilot system”. Through the Raven, NASA will be able to explore space easier, because they will no longer have to use heavy mechinary to maintain satellite conditions, they will be able to use this with minimum modifications for many missions.

The module will be sent just outside of the International Space Station (ISS) where the Raven will use sensors and complicated algorithms to collect information about other spacecrafts so that NASA can create an ” autonomous rendezvous” in space.

“Two spacecraft autonomously rendezvousing is crucial for many future NASA missions and Raven is maturing this never-before-attempted technology,” Ben Reed, deputy division director for the Satellite Servicing Projects Division (SSPD) at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center said in a press release.

“Time delays in human communication, calculation, and commands, however, prevent ground controllers from directing the servicer quickly and precisely enough to execute the final capture phase of the rendezvous,” NASA’s website states the previously mentioned quote. In laymens terms, this piece of technology will make servicing and refueling satellites much easier, as if a satellite is not refueled within a reasonable amount of time it becomes what NASA refers to as “space junk”.

Raven’s relative navigation system will help our future robotic space mechanics link up with their targets quickly and accurately. The Raven will make NASA’s jobs easier and space exploration a breeze.