Globus - The Soviet Mechanical "Space GPS" Before digital computers took over, Soviet spacecraft used something extraordinary: a fully mechanical navigation computer called Globus. Installed in missions like Vostok and Soyuz, this device used a system of gears, cams, and rotating mechanisms to calculate the spacecraft's position in real time. As the capsule orbited Earth, Globus would continuously update-showing where the crew was above the planet. No screens. No software. Just pure engineering. By factoring in orbital motion, Earth's rotation, and time, the system could accurately track ground position and even help determine reentry timing and landing zones. It was reliable, self-contained, and didn't depend on external signals-making it perfect for the early space age. A reminder that long before digital navigation... spaceflight was powered by clockwork precision.