Precise Orbit Determination with Inter-satellite Links and Ultra-stable Time for a Future Satellite Navigation System

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Michalak ◽  
Karl Hans Neumayer ◽  
Rolf Koenig
Keyword(s):  
Navigation System ◽  
Orbit Determination ◽  
Precise Orbit Determination ◽  
Satellite Navigation ◽  
Satellite Navigation System ◽  
Precise Orbit ◽  
Satellite Links

scholarly journals The application of inter-satellite links connectivity schemes in various satellite navigation systems for orbit and clock corrections determination: simulation study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Kur ◽  
Tomasz Liwosz ◽  
Maciej Kalarus
Keyword(s):  
Orbit Determination ◽  
Weighted Least Squares ◽  
Precise Orbit Determination ◽  
Satellite Navigation ◽  
Navigation Systems ◽  
Estimation Errors ◽  
Precise Orbit ◽  
Satellite Links ◽  
Clock Estimation ◽  
Satellite Navigation Systems

Abstract Inter-Satellite Links (ISLs) are intended to improve precision of orbit determination and satellite clock estimation. The ISLs provide a precise pseudorange measurements between satellites in a specific constellation. The study is a preparatory assessment of exploitation of seven connectivity schemes in the terms of the precise orbit determination for three types of constellations—Galileo-like with 24 satellites on three orbital planes, GPS-like with 24 satellites on six orbital planes, and GPS with real positions. The first part of the study focused on detailed analysis of the various ISL connectivity schemes, considering the geometry of ISL observations. The selected results of ranging were examined in the context of the precise orbit determination based on weighted least squares adjustment. The second part of the analysis was based on simulated measurements with two approaches. First approach focuses on geometrical dependencies and the second is performed with ISL measurement biases estimation. It was found that the use of the ISL technique with GNSS measurements in orbit determination improves the results by reducing the RMS error in the along-track and cross-track components. Choice of connectivity schemes does not have a significant impact on the total results of orbit determination, but give different contribution to particular components. Introducing constant bias in ISL measurements occurs in slightly worse estimation results. However, the relations between connectivity schemes is very similar to approach without simulation of ISL bias, the differences are at the level of 10%. Satellite and station clock estimation errors are almost equal for all used connectivity schemes. Results of clocks are also not influenced by ISL bias. This study showed that the ISL technique is a highly promising addition for future generations of satellite navigation systems and that sequential and ring connectivity schemes can be recommended for use in future navigation constellations.

scholarly journals LEO Precise Orbit Determination with Inter-Satellite Links

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 2117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li ◽  
Jiang ◽  
Ma ◽  
Lv ◽  
Yuan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Orbit Determination ◽  
Autonomous Navigation ◽  
Precise Orbit Determination ◽  
Low Earth Orbit ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Precise Orbit ◽  
Autonomous Operation ◽  
Satellite Links ◽  
Leo Satellites ◽  
The Right

Traditional precise orbit determination (POD) for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites relies on observations from ground stations and onboard receivers. Although the accuracy can reach centimeter level, there are still problems such as insufficient autonomous operation capability. The inter-satellite link (ISL) is a link used for communication between satellites and has a function of dual-way ranging. Numerous studies have shown that observational data using ISLs can be adopted for POD of navigation satellites. In this contribution, we mainly focus on LEO satellites POD with ISLs. First, we design LEO constellations with different numbers of satellites and ISL measurements, based on which the constellations are simulated. Then rough tests of POD using different link topologies are carried out. The results show that in the 60-LEO constellation the average 3-dimensional (3D) orbital errors are 0.112 m using “4-connected” link topology with constant 4 links per satellite and 0.069 m using “all-connected” link topology with theoretically maximum numbers of links. After that, we carry out refined POD experiments with several sets of satellite numbers and different observation accuracy. The results show the higher link ranging accuracy and the more numbers of links bring higher POD precision. POD with ISLs gets bad performance in the case of center of gravity reference when link ranging accuracy is poor and numbers of links are small. When the link accuracy is 40 cm, average 3D orbital errors of 60-LEO constellation are 0.358 m, which can only meet the demand of autonomous navigation. With the constraint of the right ascension of the ascending node (RAAN), POD using ISLs reaches an extremely high precision when adopting a spatial reference provided by navigation satellites. For 120-LEO constellation, the average 3D orbital errors are 0.010 m; for 192-LEO constellation, the errors are 0.006 m.

A Universe Light House — Candidate Architectures of the Libration Point Satellite Navigation System

2014 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 737-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Bo Xu
Keyword(s):  
Navigation System ◽  
Orbit Determination ◽  
Libration Point ◽  
Satellite Navigation ◽  
Navigation Systems ◽  
Satellite Navigation System ◽  
Libration Point Orbits ◽  
Satellite Constellation ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Autonomous Orbit Determination

In view of the shortcomings of existing satellite navigation systems in deep-space performance, candidate architectures which utilise libration point orbits in the Earth-Moon system are proposed to create an autonomous satellite navigation system for lunar missions. Three candidate constellations are systematically studied in order to achieve continuous global coverage for lunar orbits: the Earth-Moon L1,2 two-satellite constellation, the Earth-Moon L2,4,5 three-satellite constellation and the Earth-Moon L1,2,4,5 four-satellite constellation. After a thorough search for possible configurations, the latter two constellations are found to be the simplest feasible architectures for lunar navigation. Finally, an autonomous orbit determination simulation is performed to verify the autonomy of the system and two optimal configurations are obtained in a comprehensive consideration of coverage and autonomous orbit determination performance.

scholarly journals General relativistic effects acting on the orbits of Galileo satellites

2021 ◽  
Vol 133 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Sośnica ◽  
G. Bury ◽  
R. Zajdel ◽  
K. Kazmierski ◽  
J. Ventura-Traveset ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Relativity ◽  
Orbit Determination ◽  
Final Height ◽  
Precise Orbit Determination ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
De Sitter ◽  
Circular Orbits ◽  
Precise Orbit ◽  
Artificial Earth Satellites ◽  
Artificial Earth

AbstractThe first pair of satellites belonging to the European Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)—Galileo—has been accidentally launched into highly eccentric, instead of circular, orbits. The final height of these two satellites varies between 17,180 and 26,020 km, making these satellites very suitable for the verification of the effects emerging from general relativity. We employ the post-Newtonian parameterization (PPN) for describing the perturbations acting on Keplerian orbit parameters of artificial Earth satellites caused by the Schwarzschild, Lense–Thirring, and de Sitter general relativity effects. The values emerging from PPN numerical simulations are compared with the approximations based on the Gaussian perturbations for the temporal variations of the Keplerian elements of Galileo satellites in nominal, near-circular orbits, as well as in the highly elliptical orbits. We discuss what kinds of perturbations are detectable using the current accuracy of precise orbit determination of artificial Earth satellites, including the expected secular and periodic variations, as well as the constant offsets of Keplerian parameters. We found that not only secular but also periodic variations of orbit parameters caused by general relativity effects exceed the value of 1 cm within 24 h; thus, they should be fully detectable using the current GNSS precise orbit determination methods. Many of the 1-PPN effects are detectable using the Galileo satellite system, but the Lense–Thirring effect is not.

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