Precise orbit determination for the GRACE mission using only GPS data

The GRACE (gravity recovery and climate experiment) satellites, launched in March 2002, are each equipped with a BlackJack GPS onboard receiver for precise orbit determination and gravity field recovery. Since launch, there have been significant improvements in the background force models used for satellite orbit determination, most notably the model for the geopotential. This has resulted in significant improvements to orbit accuracy for very low altitude satellites. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how well the orbits of the GRACE satellites (about 470 km in altitude) can currently be determined using only GPS data and based on the current models and methods. The orbit accuracy is assessed using a number of tests, which include analysis of orbit fits, orbit overlaps, orbit connecting points, satellite Laser ranging residuals and K-band ranging (KBR) residuals. We show that 1-cm radial orbit accuracy for the GRACE satellites has probably been achieved. These precise GRACE orbits can be used for such purposes as improving gravity recovery from the GRACE KBR data and for atmospheric profiling, and they demonstrate the quality of the background force models being used.     

A Terrestrial Reference Frame realised on the observation level using a GPS-LEO satellite constellation

Applying a one-step integrated process, i.e. by simultaneously processing all data and determining all satellite orbits involved, a Terrestrial Reference Frame (TRF) consisting of a geometric as well as a dynamic part has been determined at the observation level using the EPOS-OC software of Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum. The satellite systems involved comprise the Global Positioning System (GPS) as well as the twin GRACE spacecrafts. Applying a novel approach, the inherent datum defect has been overcome empirically. In order not to rely on theoretical assumptions this is done by carrying out the TRF estimation based on simulated observations and using the associated satellite orbits as background truth. The datum defect is identified here as the total of all three translations as well as the rotation about the z-axis of the ground station network leading to a rank-deficient estimation problem. To rectify this singularity, datum constraints comprising no-net translation (NNT) conditions in x, y, and z as well as a no-net rotation (NNR) condition about the z-axis are imposed. Thus minimally constrained, the TRF solution covers a time span of roughly a year with daily resolution. For the geometric part the focus is put on Helmert transformations between the a priori and the estimated sets of ground station positions, and the dynamic part is represented by gravity field coefficients of degree one and two. The results of a reference solution reveal the TRF parameters to be estimated reliably with high precision. Moreover, carrying out a comparable two-step approach using the same data and models leads to parameters and observational residuals of worse quality. A validation w.r.t. external sources shows the dynamic origin to coincide at a level of 5 mm or better in x and y, and mostly better than 15 mm in z. Comparing the derived GPS orbits to IGS final orbits as well as analysing the SLR residuals for the GRACE satellites reveals an orbit quality on the few cm level. Additional TRF test solutions demonstrate that K-Band Range-Rate observations between both GRACE spacecrafts are crucial for accurately estimating the dynamic frame’s orientation, and reveal the importance of the NNT- and NNR-conditions imposed for estimating the components of the dynamic geocenter.     

重力卫星星载GPS简化动力学精密定轨

利用GRACE和SWARM重力卫星星载GPS观测数据,基于简化动力学方法进行精密定轨,通过相位观测值残差分析、重叠轨道对比和科学轨道对比进行轨道精度检核。GRACE和SWARM卫星相位观测值残差RMS值稳定在6 mm左右,重叠轨道对比差值RMS在径向、切向和法向均优于1.24 cm;通过与GFZ和ESA提供的GRACE卫星与SWARM卫星精密轨道对比,GRACE卫星简化动力学轨道在R,T,N方向的轨道精度分别达到1.3 cm、2.1 cm和1.3 cm;SWARM卫星简化动力学轨道在径向、切向和法向的轨道精度分别达到0.8 cm、1.3 cm和1.6 cm。实验表明,基于简化动力学方法,GRACE和SWARM卫星定轨精度均到达厘米级。     

Alternative mission architectures for a gravity recovery satellite mission

Since its launch in 2002, the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission has been providing measurements of the time-varying Earth gravity field. The GRACE mission architecture includes two satellites in near-circular, near-polar orbits separated in the along-track direction by approximately 220 km (e.g. collinear). A microwave ranging instrument measures changes in the distance between the spacecraft, while accelerometers on each spacecraft are used to measure changes in distance due to non-gravitational forces. The fact that the satellites are in near-polar orbits coupled with the fact that the inter-satellite range measurements are directed in the along-track direction, contributes to longitudinal striping in the estimated gravity fields. This paper examines four candidate mission architectures for a future gravity recovery satellite mission to assess their potential in measuring the gravity field more accurately than GRACE. All satellites were assumed to have an improved measurement system, with an inter-satellite laser ranging instrument and a drag-free system for removal of non-gravitational accelerations. Four formations were studied: a two-satellite collinear pair similar to GRACE; a four-satellite architecture with two collinear pairs; a two-satellite cartwheel formation; and a four-satellite cartwheel formation. A cartwheel formation consists of satellites performing in-plane, relative elliptical motion about their geometric center, so that inter-satellite measurements are, at times, directed radially (e.g. parallel to the direction towards the center of the Earth) rather than along-track. Radial measurements, unlike along-track measurements, have equal sensitivity to mass distribution in all directions along the Earth’s surface and can lead to higher spatial resolution in the derived gravity field. The ability of each architecture to recover the gravity field was evaluated using numerical simulations performed with JPL’s GIPSY-OASIS software package. Thirty days of data were used to estimate gravity fields complete to degree and order 60. Evaluations were done for 250 and 400 km nominal orbit altitudes. The sensitivity of the recovered gravity field to under-sampled effects was assessed using simulated errors in atmospheric/ocean dealiasing (AOD) models. Results showed the gravity field errors associated with the four-satellite cartwheel formation were approximately one order of magnitude lower than the collinear satellite pair when only measurement system errors were included. When short-period AOD model errors were introduced, the gravity field errors for each formation were approximately the same. The cartwheel formations eliminated most of the longitudinal striping seen in the gravity field errors. A covariance analysis showed the error spectrum of the cartwheel formations to be lower and more isotropic than that of the collinear formations.     

基于GRACE卫星数据的高精度全球静态重力场模型

应用GRACE卫星数据反演高精度静态地球重力场是大地测量学界的热点之一。考虑到经典动力学法线性化误差随弧长拉长而迅速增长,本文以GRACE卫星轨道观测值为初值的线性化方法,建立了应用GRACE卫星轨道和星间距离变率反演地球重力场的改进动力学法理论模型。利用2003年1月至2010年12月的GRACE卫星姿态、轨道、星间距离变率和非保守力加速度等观测数据,解算了一个180阶次的无约束全球静态重力场模型Tongji-Dyn01s和一个采用Kaula规则约束的全球重力场模型Tongji-Dyn01k。与国际不同机构最新发布的纯GRACE数据解算的重力场模型(包括AIUB-GRACE03S、GGM05S、ITSG-Grace2014k和Tongji-GRACE01)进行比较,并利用DTU13海洋重力异常和GPS/水准高程异常进行外部检核,结果表明,Tongji-Dyn01s与国际最新模型精度处于同一水平,然而Tongji-Dyn01k模型总体上更加靠近EIGEN6C2重力场模型。     

The celestial mechanics approach: application to data of the GRACE mission

The celestial mechanics approach (CMA) has its roots in the Bernese GPS software and was extensively used for determining the orbits of high-orbiting satellites. The CMA was extended to determine the orbits of Low Earth Orbiting satellites (LEOs) equipped with GPS receivers and of constellations of LEOs equipped in addition with inter-satellite links. In recent years the CMA was further developed and used for gravity field determination. The CMA was developed by the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB). The CMA is presented from the theoretical perspective in (Beutler et al. 2010). The key elements of the CMA are illustrated here using data from 50 days of GPS, K-Band, and accelerometer observations gathered by the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission in 2007. We study in particular the impact of (1) analyzing different observables [Global Positioning System (GPS) observations only, inter-satellite measurements only], (2) analyzing a combination of observations of different types on the level of the normal equation systems (NEQs), (3) using accelerometer data, (4) different orbit parametrizations (short-arc, reduced-dynamic) by imposing different constraints on the stochastic orbit parameters, and (5) using either the inter-satellite ranges or their time derivatives. The so-called GRACE baseline, i.e., the achievable accuracy of the GRACE gravity field for a particular solution strategy, is established for the CMA.     

Precise orbit determination for the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC satellite mission using GPS

The joint Taiwan–US mission FORMOSAT-3/ COSMIC (COSMIC) was launched on April 17, 2006. Each of the six satellites is equipped with two POD antennas. The orbits of the six satellites are determined from GPS data using zero-difference carrier-phase measurements by the reduced dynamic and kinematic methods. The effects of satellite center of mass (COM) variation, satellite attitude, GPS antenna phase center variation (PCV), and cable delay difference on the COSMIC orbit determination are studied. Nominal attitudes estimated from satellite state vectors deliver a better orbit accuracy when compared to observed attitude. Numerical tests show that the COSMIC COM must be precisely calibrated in order not to corrupt orbit determination. Based on the analyses of the 5 and 6-h orbit overlaps of two 30-h arcs, orbit accuracies from the reduced dynamic and kinematic solutions are nearly identical and are at the 2–3 cm level. The mean RMS difference between the orbits from this paper and those from UCAR (near real-time) and WHU (post-processed) is about 10 cm, which is largely due to different uses of GPS ephemerides, high-rate GPS clocks and force models. The kinematic orbits of COSMIC are expected to be used for recovery of temporal variations in the gravity field.     

Improved GRACE kinematic orbit determination using GPS receiver clock modeling

Kinematic positions of Low Earth Orbiters based on GPS tracking are frequently used as pseudo-observations for single satellite gravity field determination. Unfortunately, the accuracy of the satellite trajectory is partly limited because the receiver synchronization error has to be estimated along with the kinematic coordinates at every observation epoch. We review the requirements for GPS receiver clock modeling in Precise Point Positioning (PPP) and analyze its impact on kinematic orbit determination for the two satellites of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission using both simulated and real data. We demonstrate that a piecewise linear parameterization can be used to model the ultra-stable oscillators that drive the GPS receivers on board of the GRACE satellites. Using such a continuous clock model allows position estimation even if the number of usable GPS satellites drops to three and improves the robustness of the solution with respect to outliers. Furthermore, simulations indicate a potential accuracy improvement of the satellite trajectory of at least 40 % in the radial direction and up to 7 % in the along-track and cross-track directions when a 60-s piecewise linear clock model is estimated instead of epoch-wise independent receiver clock offsets. For PPP with real GRACE data, the accuracy evaluation is hampered by the lack of a reference orbit of significantly higher accuracy. However, comparisons with a smooth reduced-dynamic orbit indicate a significant reduction of the high-frequency noise in the radial component of the kinematic orbit.     

基于平方根推广卡尔曼滤波的星载GPS定轨

本文探讨了利用星载GPS数据实现平方根推广卡尔曼滤波(SR-EKF)定轨的方法,采用SR-EKF对两颗GRACE卫星进行了定轨试验计算,并将计算结果与Bernese5.0的计算结果进行了比较,比较分析表明:采用SR-EKF方法进行GRACE卫星定轨可以得到优于10cm的定轨精度;经验力参数可以平衡几何观测信息和动力模型信息,但增大了观测异常对定轨结果的影响;对位置和速度进行噪声补偿可以减弱观测异常对定轨结果的影响,但有可能使轨道出现系统性偏差。     

低轨卫星精密定轨中重力场模型误差的补偿

分析了不同重力场对低轨卫星运动影响的特征，并基于CHAMP卫星和GRACE卫星的真实轨道，利用轨道积分和轨道拟舍的方法，研究了线性分段加速度、周期性分段加速度以厦虚拟随机脉冲加速度在精密定轨中对重力场模型误差的补偿效果。     

Phase center modeling for LEO GPS receiver antennas and its impact on precise orbit determination

Most satellites in a low-Earth orbit (LEO) with demanding requirements on precise orbit determination (POD) are equipped with on-board receivers to collect the observations from Global Navigation Satellite systems (GNSS), such as the Global Positioning System (GPS). Limiting factors for LEO POD are nowadays mainly encountered with the modeling of the carrier phase observations, where a precise knowledge of the phase center location of the GNSS antennas is a prerequisite for high-precision orbit analyses. Since 5 November 2006 (GPS week 1400), absolute instead of relative values for the phase center location of GNSS receiver and transmitter antennas are adopted in the processing standards of the International GNSS Service (IGS). The absolute phase center modeling is based on robot calibrations for a number of terrestrial receiver antennas, whereas compatible antenna models were subsequently derived for the remaining terrestrial receiver antennas by conversion (from relative corrections), and for the GNSS transmitter antennas by estimation. However, consistent receiver antenna models for space missions such as GRACE and TerraSAR-X, which are equipped with non-geodetic receiver antennas, are only available since a short time from robot calibrations. We use GPS data of the aforementioned LEOs of the year 2007 together with the absolute antenna modeling to assess the presently achieved accuracy from state-of-the-art reduced-dynamic LEO POD strategies for absolute and relative navigation. Near-field multipath and cross-talk with active GPS occultation antennas turn out to be important and significant sources for systematic carrier phase measurement errors that are encountered in the actual spacecraft environments. We assess different methodologies for the in-flight determination of empirical phase pattern corrections for LEO receiver antennas and discuss their impact on POD. By means of independent K-band measurements, we show that zero-difference GRACE orbits can be significantly improved from about 10 to 6 mm K-band standard deviation when taking empirical phase corrections into account, and assess the impact of the corrections on precise baseline estimates and further applications such as gravity field recovery from kinematic LEO positions.     

Understanding data noise in gravity field recovery on the basis of inter-satellite ranging measurements acquired by the satellite gravimetry mission GRACE

Spectral analysis of data noise is performed in the context of gravity field recovery from inter-satellite ranging measurements acquired by the satellite gravimetry mission GRACE. The motivation of the study is two-fold: (i) to promote a further improvement of GRACE data processing techniques and (ii) to assist designing GRACE follow-on missions. The analyzed noise realizations are produced as the difference between the actual GRACE inter-satellite range measurements and the predictions based on state-of-the-art force models. The exploited functional model is based on the so-called “range combinations,” which can be understood as a finite-difference analog of inter-satellite accelerations projected onto the line-of-sight connecting the satellites. It is shown that low-frequency noise is caused by limited accuracy of the computed GRACE orbits. In the first instance, it leads to an inaccurate estimation of the radial component of the inter-satellite velocities. A large impact of this component stems from the fact that it is directly related to centrifugal accelerations, which have to be taken into account when the measured range-accelerations are linked with inter-satellite accelerations. Another effect of orbit inaccuracies is a miscalculation of forces acting on the satellites (particularly, the one described by the zero-degree term of the Earth’s gravitational field). The major contributors to the noise budget at high frequencies (above 9?mHz) are (i) ranging sensor errors and (ii) limited knowledge of the Earth’s static gravity field at high degrees. Importantly, we show that updating the model of the static field on the basis of the available data must be performed with a caution as the result may not be physical due to a non-unique recovery of high-degree coefficients. The source of noise in the range of intermediate frequencies (1–9?mHz), which is particularly critical for an accurate gravity field recovery, is not fully understood yet. We show, however, that it cannot be explained by inaccuracies in background models of time-varying gravity field. It is stressed that most of the obtained results can be treated as sufficiently general (i.e., applicable in the context of a statistically optimal estimation based on any functional model).     

Reducing influence of gravity model error in precise orbit determination of low Earth orbit satellites

Based on the orbit integration and orbit fitting method, the influence of the characters of the gravity model, with different precisions, on the movement of low Earth orbit satellites was studied. The way and the effect of absorbing the influence of gravity model error on CHAMP and GRACE satellite orbits, using linear and periodical empirical acceleration models and the so-called “pseudo-stochastic pulses” model, were also analyzed.     

星间单差模糊度固定的低轨卫星精密定轨精度分析

高精度、高可靠性的卫星轨道是实现低轨卫星精密应用的重要前提,而模糊度固定技术是提高卫星定轨精度的关键途径。研究了基于整数钟的星间单差模糊度固定原理和方法,并利用2019年4月—5月的两颗GRACE-FO（gravity recovery and climate experiment follow on）卫星数据（GRACE-C/D）系统评估了固定解对低轨卫星简化动力学和运动学定轨的精度提升效果。结果表明,两颗卫星简化动力学和运动学定轨的宽巷模糊度固定率均达到99%,而窄巷模糊度固定率在95%左右。对于简化动力学定轨,GRACE-C/D固定解轨道的重叠轨道的3D均方根误差（root mean square error, RMSE）分别从7.1 mm和7.4 mm减小到了4.2 mm和3.6 mm;卫星激光测距（satellite laser ranging, SLR）残差标准差（standard deviation, STD）分别从15.9 mm和14.4 mm降低到了10.8 mm和11.0 mm,精度提升了32%和24%;K波段测距残差RMSE从8.0 mm减小到2.9 mm,进一步表明固定解还能有效提升低轨卫星间相对位置精度。对于运动学定轨,与精密科学轨道产品互差3D RMSE,浮点解分别为37.5 mm和36.4 mm,固定解分别为27.7 mm和25.5 mm,精度提升约28%,SLR残差STD也减小了约20%。     

现代低轨卫星对地球重力场探测的实践和进展

综述了现代低轨卫星对地球重力场测量的特点和近况，介绍了已经和即将发射的重力卫星CHAMP、GRACE、GOCE和新型测高卫星，讨论了作为现代重力卫星首次实践－－CHAMP卫星的进展和目前尚待解决的问题。     

利用GOCE卫星轨道反演地球重力场模型

根据积分方程法反演地球重力场的数学模型,利用GOCE卫星2009-11-02～2010-01-02共61d的精密轨道数据反演了几组地球重力场模型。结果表明,GOCE卫星轨道能有效提取地球重力场的长波信息,弥补了GOCE卫星重力梯度带宽的限制,在106阶次的大地水准面误差为±9.6cm,该阶次精度优于EIGEN-CHAMP03S及GRACE卫星两个月轨道反演地球重力场的精度,但由于两极空白,反演的带谐位系数精度偏低。联合GOCE及GRACE卫星轨道反演的模型在106阶次的大地水准面误差为±6.9cm,弥补了GOCE卫星轨道的缺陷。     

Reduced dynamic and kinematic precise orbit determination for the Swarm mission from 4 years of GPS tracking

Precise science orbits for the first 4 years of the Swarm mission have been generated from onboard GPS measurements in a systematic reprocessing using refined models and processing techniques. Key enhancements relate to the introduction of macro-models for a more elaborate non-gravitational force modeling (solar radiation pressure, atmospheric drag and lift, earth albedo), as well as carrier phase ambiguity fixing. Validation using satellite laser ranging demonstrates a 30% improvement in the precision of the reduced dynamic orbits with resulting errors at the 0.5–1 cm level (1D RMS). A notable performance improvement is likewise achieved for the kinematic orbits, which benefit most from the ambiguity fixing and show a 50% error reduction in terms of SLR residuals while differences with respect to reduced dynamic ephemerides amount to only 1.7 cm (median of daily 3D RMS). Compared to the past kinematic science orbits based on float-ambiguity estimates, the new kinematic position solutions exhibit a factor of reduction of two to three in Allan deviation at time scales of 1000s and higher, and promise an improved recovery of low-degree and -order gravity field coefficients in Swarm gravity field analyses.     

Length-of-day and space-geodetic determination of the Earth’s variable gravity field

The temporal variations of the Earth’s gravity field, nowadays routinely determined from satellite laser ranging (SLR) and GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment), are related to changes in the Earth’s rotation rate through the Earth’s inertia tensor. We study this connection from actual data by comparing the traditional length-of-day (LOD) measurements provided by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) to the variations of the degree-2 and order-0 Stokes coefficient of the gravity field determined from fitting the orbits of the LAGEOS-1 and −2 satellites since 1985. The two series show a good correlation (0.62) and similar annual and semi-annual signals, indicating that the gravity-field-derived LOD is valuable. Our analysis also provides evidence for additional signals common to both series, especially at a period near 120 days, which could be due to hydrological effects.     

国际重力卫星研究进展和我国将来卫星重力测量计划

本文首先分别介绍了国际已经成功发射的专用地球重力测量卫星CHAMP、GRACE以及即将发射的GOCE、GRACE Follow-On和专用月球重力探测卫星GRAIL的研制机构、轨道参数、关键载荷、跟踪模式、测量原理、科学目标和技术特征;其次,阐述了当前相关学科对地球重力场测量精度的需求;最后,建议我国在将来实施的卫星重力测量计划中首选卫星跟踪卫星高低\低低模式,尽快开展轨道参数优化选取的定量系统研究论证和重力卫星系统的误差分析,依据匹配精度指标先期开展重力卫星各关键载荷的研制以及尽早启动卫星重力测量系统的虚拟仿真研究。     

Frequency-dependent data weighting in global gravity field modeling from satellite data contaminated by non-stationary noise

Satellite data that are used to model the global gravity field of the Earth are typically corrupted by correlated noise, which can be related to a frequency dependence of the data accuracy. We show an opportunity to take such noise into account by using a proper noise covariance matrix in the estimation procedure. If the dependence of noise on frequency is not known a priori, it can be estimated on the basis of a posteriori residuals. The methodology can be applied to data with gaps. Non-stationarity of noise can also be dealt with, provided that the necessary a priori information exists. The proposed methodology is illustrated with CHAllenging Mini-satellite Payload (CHAMP) data processing. It is shown, in particular, that the usage of a proper noise model can make the measurements of non-gravitational satellite accelerations unnecessarily. This opens the door for high-quality modeling of the Earth’s gravity field on the basis of observed orbits of non-dedicated satellites (i.e., satellites without an on-board accelerometer). Furthermore, the processing of data from dedicated satellite missions – GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer) – may also benefit from the proposed methodology.