Why stored imagery does not solve hypersonic plasma guidance

Could a hypersonic missile navigate through its plasma sheath by matching camera images to a preloaded route?

Probably not, because the camera is unlikely to see through the plasma accurately enough to determine the missile's path.

The proposed guidance method compares a camera view with images stored for the missile's expected route. The camera is unlikely to see through the high-speed plasma with enough clarity to locate the weapon precisely. A planned image sequence therefore does not remove the need for reliable present-position sensing. The sensor's view through plasma is the limiting issue.