Originally Posted by
LowObservable
First electro-optical astro-inertial system was developed for the Northrop SM-62 Snark, starting in the late 1940s. Airborne star acquisition and tracking was demonstrated around 1952. Snark of course was cancelled but Northrop built the Blackbird's system and that for the B-2. Kollsman developed an astro-tracker integrated into the B-58's NAS, and the Skybolt missile had one built into the pylon to update the INS immediately before launch. There is a Snark system in the Udvar-Hazy.
No doubt astrotrackers have worked successfully in different applications, but do doubt they could achieve mil GPS accuracy. A highly precise system that would require a large maintenance cost. Worthwhile for SR-71 and U-2, but I’d suppose too expensive for wider use. The C-141A Starlifter had provisions for an astrotracker, but was not installed for operational use.
Perhaps advances in inertial platforms and solid state electronics has enabled improved accuracy, reliability and maintenance costs.