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.     

GRACE卫星非差精密定轨精度分析

随着星载GPS接收机性能和精密轨道、钟差产品精度的提高,星载GPS观测技术已成为确定CHAMP、GRACE和GOCE等低轨卫星精密轨道的重要手段。文章以GRACE卫星为例,分别利用非差弱动力法和非差运动学方法精密确定其轨道,并将结果和美国喷气动力实验室(JPL)事后精密轨道对比。结果表明:GRACE卫星非差弱动力法和非差运动学定轨精度均可达到厘米级;在使用相同的星历、钟差等产品时,弱动力法定轨精度略微优于运动学方法。此外,本文采用超快预报精密星历实时确定GRACE卫星轨道时精度也优于10cm。     

星地跟踪网的导航卫星精密轨道确定及预报

针对区域跟踪网不能覆盖导航卫星全弧段从而导致卫星定轨精度低的问题,简述了导航卫星和低轨卫星联合定轨模型,然后利用星地跟踪网观测数据同时确定了低轨卫星和导航卫星精密轨道,并根据实验结果详细分析了低轨卫星在联合定轨中所起到的作用。计算结果表明,引入低轨卫星之后,全球网和区域网定轨精度分别平均提高了20.0%和44.3%,区域网6h和24h的轨道预报精度分别优于10cm、13cm,利用星地跟踪网观测数据联合定轨方案是一种提高定轨精度并削弱对地面站依赖性的有效方法。     

Precise orbit determination for LEO satellites:single-receiver ambiguity resolution using GREAT products

In recent years, the large Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations have become a hot topic due to their great potential to improve the Global Navigation Satellite ...     

分布式InSAR编队卫星精密绝对和相对轨道确定

低轨卫星编队的精密轨道和基线确定是分布式InSAR卫星系统完成科学任务的重要前提.目前,基于GNSS数据的缩减动力学绝对和相对轨道确定是获得高精度轨道和基线产品的主要手段.本文利用天绘二号编队星载GPS实测数据,采用缩减动力学定轨方法进行编队卫星绝对和相对定轨研究.GPS数据质量分析表明,A星与B星接收机的信号跟踪能力和数据质量基本相当.通过对轨道机动进行常值加速度建模,可以有效消除机动对天绘二号编队绝对和相对定轨的影响.单星绝对定轨结果表明,6 h重叠弧段轨道差值三维(3D)RMS小于1.2 cm,A星和B星绝对轨道的卫星激光测距数据检核残差RMS分别为2.76 cm和2.33 cm.双星相对定轨结果表明,6 h重叠弧段基线差值3D RMS达到0.66 mm,本文基线产品与西安测绘研究所基线产品互比对差值RMS在径向、切向、法向和3D方向分别为0.73、1.11、0.51和1.43 mm.     

Precise GRACE baseline determination using GPS

Precision relative navigation is an essential aspect of spacecraft formation flying missions, both from an operational and a scientific point of view. When using GPS as a relative distance sensor, dual-frequency receivers are required for high accuracy at large inter-satellite separations. This allows for a correction of the relative ionospheric path delay and enables double difference integer ambiguity resolution. Although kinematic relative positioning techniques demonstrate promising results for hardware-in-the-loop simulations, they were found to lack an adequate robustness in real-world applications. To overcome this limitation, an extended Kalman Filter modeling the relative spacecraft dynamics has been developed. The filter processes single difference GPS pseudorange and carrier phase observations to estimate the relative position and velocity along with empirical accelerations and carrier phase ambiguities. In parallel, double difference carrier phase ambiguities are resolved on both frequencies using the least square ambiguity decorrelation adjustment (LAMBDA) method in order to fully exploit the inherent measurement accuracy. The combination of reduced dynamic filtering with the LAMBDA method results in smooth relative position estimates as well as fast and reliable ambiguity resolution. The proposed method has been validated with data from the gravity recovery and climate experiment (GRACE) mission. For an 11-day data arc, the resulting solution matches the GRACE K-Band Ranging System measurements with an accuracy of 1 mm, whereby 83% of the double difference ambiguities are resolved.     

GRACE卫星非差简化动力学定轨研究

本文基于卫星精密定轨的基本理论,研究了GRACE卫星非差简化动力学定轨的方法;并用自行研制的定轨软件CASMORD对实测的星载GPS数据进行非差数据的简化动力学定轨,通过比较GRACE卫星解算的轨道与JPL事后轨道及SLR测距信息,结果表明:利用非差观测值进行CRACE卫星的简化动力学定轨,三维位置精度(3D-RMS)...     

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.     

Precise orbit determination of BeiDou constellation: method comparison

Chinese BeiDou navigation satellite system is in official service as a regional constellation with five geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites, five inclined geosynchronous satellite orbit (IGSO) satellites and four medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites. There are mainly two methods for precise orbit determination of the BeiDou constellation found in the current literatures. One is the independent single-system method, where only BeiDou observations are used without help from other GNSS systems. The other is the two-step GPS-assisted method where in the first step, GPS data are used to resolve some common parameters, such as station coordinates, receiver clocks and zenith tropospheric delay parameters, which are then introduced as known quantities in BeiDou processing in the second step. We conduct a thorough performance comparison between the two methods. Observations from the BeiDou experimental tracking stations and the IGS Multi-GNSS Experiment network from January 1 to March 31, 2013, are processed with the Positioning and Navigation Data Analyst (PANDA) software. The results show that for BeiDou IGSO and MEO satellites, the two-step GPS-assisted method outperforms the independent single-system method in both internal orbit overlap precision and external satellite laser ranging validation. For BeiDou GEO satellites, the two methods show close performances. Zenith tropospheric delays estimated from the first method are very close to those estimated from GPS precise point positioning in the second method, with differences of several millimeters. Satellite clock estimates from the two methods show similar performances when assessing the stability of the BeiDou on board clocks.     

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.     

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.     

Precise orbit determination of GIOVE-B based on the CONGO network

GIOVE-B is one of two test satellites for the future European Global Navigation Satellite System Galileo. The Cooperative Network for GIOVE Observation (CONGO) is a global tracking network of GIOVE-capable receivers established by Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) and Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie (BKG). This network provides the basis for the precise orbit determination of the GIOVE-B satellite for the time period 29 June till 27 October 2009 with a modified version of the Bernese GPS Software. Different arc lengths and sets of orbit parameters were tested. These tests showed that the full set of nine radiation pressure parameters resulted in a better performance than the reduced set of five parameters. An internal precision of about one to two decimeters could be demonstrated for the central day of 5-day solutions. The orbit predictions have a precision of about 1 m for a prediction period of 24 h. External validations with Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) show residuals on the level of 12 cm. The accuracy of the final orbits is expected to be on the few decimeter level.     

无准确初轨信息时星载GPS低轨卫星定轨方法研究

本文提出了适用于星载GPS低轨卫星定轨的一种精密自主定轨方法。该方法利用星载GPS观测资料直接解算GPS方程求得卫星初轨,避免了早期使用短弧资料定初轨时法方程的病态性的影响,为精密定轨提供了较准确的近似值,并以此展开观测方程进行精密定轨,保证了迭代过程的收敛,减少了迭代次数,节约了时间,适用于低轨卫星的自主定轨和实时定轨。     

北斗GEO卫星精密定轨的最优构型研究与仿真

北斗三号（BDS-3）的地球静止轨道（GEO）卫星提供多项特色服务,但其精密定轨精度较低,除了高轨及静地特性以外,全球监测站的构型是影响其定轨精度的重要因素. 本文基于卫星定轨的基本原理,将观测方程线性化;利用正交三角函数,将几何精度因子（GDOP）参数化并投影到地面,以监测站构型方式表达;采用嵌套圆锥构型,得出监测站分布与GEO卫星定轨精度之间的关系;最后进行仿真实验,得到了一类理论上监测站构型的最优解.      

北斗三号卫星两种定轨模式精度比较分析

北斗全球卫星导航系统(BDS-3)已经于2018年年底建成基本系统,并计划于2020年建成完整系统,而精确的卫星轨道是实现高性能全球服务的前提。本文基于北斗三号基本系统的18颗中圆轨道(MEO)卫星,评估了北斗三号卫星星间链路的测量噪声与测距精度,利用中国境内12个区域监测站的星地观测和星间链路观测,进行了联合卫星轨道测定试验,并与单纯区域监测站观测定轨结果进行了比较,分析了两种定轨模式重叠弧段轨道误差、轨道预报精度和激光检核精度。结果表明:北斗三号卫星的星间链路测量噪声为2.9cm,测距精度约为4.4cm;仅采用区域测站定轨,重叠弧段三维位置误差RMS为66.7cm,加入星间链路后可降低至15.4cm,提高了76.9%,24h轨道预报位置精度也由114.1cm提升至20.3cm,提升了83.2%,激光检核径向精度为8.4cm左右,明显优于北斗二号卫星轨道精度。     

Precise orbit and baseline determination for maneuvering low earth orbiters

GPS Solutions - Orbital maneuvers are usually performed as needed for low earth orbiters to maintain a predefined trajectory or formation-flying configuration. To avoid unexpected discontinuities...     

Rapid orbit determination of LEO satellites using IGS clock and ephemeris products

Different types of GPS clock and orbit data provided by the International GPS Service (IGS) have been used to assess the accuracy of rapid orbit determination for satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) using spaceborne GPS measurements. To avoid the need for reference measurements from ground-based reference receivers, the analysis is based on an undifferenced processing of GPS code and carrier-phase measurements. Special attention is therefore given to the quality of GPS clock data that directly affects the resulting orbit determination accuracy. Interpolation of clock data from the available 15 min grid points is identified as a limiting factor in the use of IGS ultra-rapid ephemerides. Despite this restriction, a 10-cm orbit determination accuracy can be obtained with these products data as demonstrated for the GRACE-B spacecraft during selected data arcs between 2002 and 2004. This performance may be compared with a 5-cm orbit determination accuracy achievable with IGS rapid and final products using 5 min clock samples. For improved accuracy, high-rate (30 s) clock solutions are recommended that are presently only available from individual IGS centers. Likewise, a reduced latency and more frequent updates of IGS ultra-rapid ephemerides are desirable to meet the requirements of upcoming satellite missions for near real-time and precise orbit determination.     

Precise relative positioning using real tracking data from COMPASS GEO and IGSO satellites

China completed a basic COMPASS navigation network with three Geostationary and three Inclined Geosynchronous satellites in orbit in April 2011. The network has been able to provide preliminary positioning and navigation functions. We first present a quality analysis using 1-week COMPASS measurements collected in Wuhan. Satellite visibility and validity of measurements, carrier-to-noise density ratio and code noise are analyzed. The analysis of multipath combinations shows that the noise level of COMPASS code measurements is higher than that of GPS collected using the same receiver. Second, the results of positioning are presented and analyzed. For the standalone COMPASS solutions, an accuracy of 20 m can be achieved. An accuracy of 3.0 m for the vertical, 1.5 m for the North and about 0.6–0.8 m for the East component is obtained using dual-frequency code only measurements for a short baseline. More importantly, code and phase measurements of the short baseline are processed together to obtain precise relative positioning. Kinematic solutions are then compared with the ground truth. The precision of COMPASS only solutions is better than 2 cm for the North component and 4 cm for the vertical. The standard deviation of the East component is smaller than 1 cm, which is even better than that of the East component of GPS solutions. The accuracy of GPS/COMPASS combination solutions is at least 20 % better than that of GPS alone. Furthermore, the geometry-based residuals of double differenced phase and code measurements are analyzed. The analysis shows that the noise level of un-differenced phase measurements is about 2–4 mm on both B1 and B2 frequencies. For the code measurements, the noise level is less than 0.45 m for B1 CA and about 0.35 m for B2 P code. Many of the COMPASS results presented are very promising and have been obtained for the first time.