Basic performance of BeiDou-2 navigation satellite system used in LEO satellites precise orbit determination

The visibility for low earth orbit（LEO） satellites provided by the BeiDou-2 system is analyzed and compared with the global positioning system（GPS）. In addition, the spaceborne receivers＇ observations are simulated by the BeiDou satellites broadcast ephemeris and LEO satellites orbits. The precise orbit determination（POD） results show that the along-track component accuracy is much better over the service area than the non-service area, while the accuracy of the other two directions keeps at the same level over different areas. However, the 3-dimensional（3D） accuracy over the two areas shows almost no difference. Only taking into consideration the observation noise and navigation satellite ephemeris errors, the 3D accuracy of the POD is about30 cm. As for the precise relative orbit determination（PROD）, the 3D accuracy is much better over the eastern hemisphere than that of the western hemisphere. The baseline length accuracy is 3.4 mm over the service area, and it is still better than 1 cm over the non-service area. This paper demonstrates that the BeiDou regional constellation could provide global service to LEO satellites for the POD and the PROD. Finally, the benefit of geostationary earth orbit（GEO） satellites is illustrated for POD.     

双线程滑动窗口多系统GNSS超快精密定轨实现及评估

全球导航卫星系统（GNSS）超快精密定轨为GNSS实时应用提供了高精度空间基准。基于天地协同定位、导航与授时（PNT）网络服务中心实现了四系统GNSS卫星超快精密定轨,并对定轨结果进行精度评价。介绍了天地协同PNT网络的概念内涵以及网络服务中心部署的超快精密定轨软件架构和详细功能,并针对实时应用需求提出了一种双线程滑动窗口超快精密定轨策略。最后利用重叠弧段比较、与外部轨道产品比较以及卫星激光测距（SLR）检核3种方式对定轨结果进行了精度评价。结果表明,与武汉大学分析中心的最终事后精密轨道产品相比,四系统GNSS MEO卫星预报6 h弧段的径向均方根（RMS）误差整体在2~5 cm水平,BDS2 IGSO卫星最小一维RMS误差在10~15 cm水平;GPS和Galileo卫星的SLR检核残差均值在1~3 cm水平,标准差在3~6 cm水平,能够满足后续厘米级实时应用对空间基准的精度需求。     

Spaceborne GPS receiver antenna phase center offset and variation estimation for the Shiyan 3 satellite

In determining the orbits of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites using spaceborne GPS, the errors caused by receiver antenna phase center offset (PCO) and phase center variations (PCVs) are gradually becoming a major limiting factor for continued improvements to accuracy. Shiyan 3, a small satellite mission for space technology experimentation and climate exploration, was developed by China and launched on November 5, 2008. The dual-frequency GPS receiver payload delivers 1 Hz data and provides the basis for precise orbit determination within the range of a few centime-ters. The antenna PCO and PCV error characteristics and the principles influencing orbit determi-nation are analyzed. The feasibility of PCO and PCV estimation and compensation in different directions is demonstrated through simulation and in-flight tests. The values of receiver antenna PCO and PCVs for Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and Shiyan 3 satellites are estimated from one month of data. A large and stable antenna PCO error, reaching up to 10.34 cm in the z-direction, is found with the Shiyan 3 satellite. The PCVs on the Shiyan 3 satellite are estimated and reach up to 3.0 cm, which is slightly larger than that of GRACE satellites. Orbit validation clearly improved with independent k-band ranging (KBR) and satellite laser ranging (SLR) measurements. For GRACE satellites, the average root mean square (RMS) of KBR resid-uals improved from 1.01 cm to 0.88 cm. For the Shiyan 3 satellite, the average RMS of SLR resid-uals improved from 4.95 cm to 4.06 cm.     

全球精密单点定位性能评估

随着中国北斗三号卫星导航系统（BDS-3）全面建成与开通，北斗卫星导航系统已步入了新发展阶段，基于BDS-3实现全方位、多层次、高精度应用已成为地学研究中一项基本任务。利用全球最新均匀分布的10个MGEX跟踪站，分别从24 h内接收到的卫星数、卫星位置精度因子（PDOP）、卫星数据解算完整率和双频非组合精密单点定位（PPP）静态/动态定位精度等方面系统深入地评估了BDS-3在全球范围内的可用性。结果表明，测站对卫星跟踪能力与配备的接收机类型和区域位置有强相关性，单BDS-3卫星在全球范围内具有较强的连续定位能力，当使用SEPT POLARX5和JAVAD TRE_3接收机的情况下，数据解算完整率可达100%。此外，水平方向和高程方向定位精度分别优于2 cm和3 cm，并且在联合使用BDS-2和BDS-3定位的条件下，可使得静态定位精度在东、北和高程方向进一步提升37.6%,25.3%和38.9%。     

Orbit Determination Accuracies Using Satellite-to-Satellite Tracking

The results are reported of the ATS-6/GEOS-3 and the ATS-6 NIMBUS-6 satellite-to-satellite orbit determination experiments. NASA intends to use the tracking data relay satellite system for operational orbit determination of NASA satellites. Hence, in the near future, satellite-to-satellite tracking data will be routinely processed to obtain orbits. The satellite-to-satellite tracking system used in the ATS-6/NIMBUS-6 and ATS-6/GEOS-3 experiments performed with a resolution of 1 to 2 m in range and less than 1 mm/s in range rate for a 10-s averaging. A Bayesian least squares estimation technique utilizing independent ranging to the synchronous relay satellite was determined to be the most effective procedure for estimating orbits from satellite-to-satellite tracking data. The use of this technique yields estimates of user satellite orbits which are comparable in accuracy to what is usually obtained from ground based systems.     

GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO实时服务（RTS）产品性能评估分析

目前,不同机构提供的GNSS实时服务产品性能存在差异。为了全面揭示实时服务产品的性能，为系统服务和用户应用提供参考，统计了各实时服务产品的历元完整率及卫星数量，基于实时轨道和钟差恢复方法，比较分析了产品精度，并评估了产品定位性能。研究结果表明：正常情况下，实时服务产品的历元完整率较高，基本可保持在95%以上，所提供系统的卫星数量保持稳定且充足。对于GPS，各机构卫星实时轨道平均精度基本一致，约为3cm，实时钟差精度略有差别。对于其他GNSS，不同机构产品精度存在差别。利用实时服务产品进行GPS实时精密单点定位的平面精度优于10cm，高程精度优于20cm。相对于GPS单系统，多系统联合定位精度基本一致，但收敛速度明显提升。     

GNSS卫星钟差估计与结果分析

探讨了GNSS卫星钟差估计的基本原理、处理方法及数据处理中的一些关键技术,利用全球56个IGS跟踪站的观测数据进行钟差估计,比较分析了钟差产品的精度与定位性能。以GPS系统解算结果为例,其钟差产品与IGS最终精密卫星钟差符合较好,精度优于0.04ns(约0.012m),多系统钟差解算结果互差优于亚纳秒级。基于钟差产品进行精密单点定位解算试验,试验结果表明,在定位收敛之后,静态PPP在东、北、天3个方向上精度为0.0582m、0.0466m、0.1188m;动态PPP在东、北、天3个方向上精度为0.0671m、0.0640m、0.3200m。定位结果与IGS最终精密钟差解算结果符合较好,表明两者之间差异较小,进一步验证了解算得到的卫星钟差产品的定位性能。     

Precise orbit determination for TH02-02 satellites based on BDS3 and GPS observations

The Tianhui-2 02 (TH02-02) satellite formation, as a supplement to the microwave mapping satellite system Tianhui-2 01 (TH02-01), is the first Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) satellite formation-flying system that supports the tracking of BeiDou global navigation Satellite system (BDS3) new B1C and B2a signals. Meanwhile, the twin TH02-02 satellites also support the tracking of Global Positioning System (GPS) L1&L2 and BDS B1I&B3I signals. As the spaceborne receiver employs two independent boards to track the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellites, we design an orbit determination strategy by estimating independent receiver clock offsets epoch by epoch for each GNSS to realize the multi-GNSS data fusion from different boards. The performance of the spaceborne receiver is evaluated and the contribution of BDS3 to the kinematic and reduced-dynamic Precise Orbit Determination (POD) of TH02-02 satellites is investigated. The tracking data onboard shows that the average number of available BDS3 and GPS satellites are 8.7 and 9.1, respectively. The carrier-to-noise ratio and carrier phase noise of BDS3 B1C and B2a signals are comparable to those of GPS. However, strong azimuth-related systematic biases are recognized in the pseudorange multipath errors of B1C and B3I. The pseudorange noise of BDS3 signals is better than that of GPS after eliminating the multipath errors from specific signals. Taking the GPS-based reduced-dynamic orbit with single-receiver ambiguity fixing technique as a reference, the results of BDS3-only and BDS3 + GPS combined POD are assessed. The Root Mean Square (RMS) of orbit comparison of BDS3-based kinematic and reduced-dynamic POD with reference orbit are better than 7 cm and 3 cm in three-Dimensional direction (3D). The POD performance based on B1C&B2a data is comparable to that based on B1I&B3I. The precision of BDS3 + GPS combined kinematic orbit can reach up to 3 cm (3D RMS), which has a more than 25% improvement relative to the GPS-only solution. In addition, the consistency between the BDS3 + GPS combined reduced-dynamic orbit and the GPS-based ambiguity-fixed orbit is better than 1.5 cm (3D RMS).     

A geopause satellite system concept

The forthcoming 10 cm range tracking accuracy capability holds much promise in connection with a number of Earth and ocean dynamics investigations. These include a set of earthquake-related studies of fault motions and the Earth's tidal, polar and rotational motions, as well as studies of the gravity field and the sea surface topography which should furnish basic information about mass and heat flow in the oceans. The state of the orbit analysis art is presently at about the 10 m level, or about two orders of magnitude away from the 10 cm range accuracy capability expected in the next couple of years or so. The realization of a 10 cm orbit analysis capability awaits the solution of four kinds of problems, namely, those involving orbit determination and the lack of sufficient knowledge of tracking system biases, the gravity field, and tracking station locations. The Geopause satellite system concept offers promising approaches in connection with all of these areas. A typical Geopause satellite orbit has a 14 hour period, a mean height of about 4.6 Earth radii, and is nearly circular, polar, and normal to the ecliptic. At this height only a relatively few gravity terms have uncertainties corresponding to orbital perturbations above the decimeter level. The orbit s, in this sense, at the geopotential boundary, i.e., the geopause. The few remaining environmental quantities which may be significant can be determined by means of orbit analyses and accelerometers. The Geopause satellite system also provides the tracking geometery and coverage needed for determining the orbit, the tracking system biases and the station locations. Studies indicate that the Geopause satellite, tracked with a 2 cm ranging system from nine NASA affiliated sites, can yield decimeter station location accuracies. Five or more fundamental stations well distributed in longitude can view Geopause over the North Pole. This means not only that redundant data are available for determining tracking system biases, but also that both components of the polar motion can be observed frequently. When tracking Geopause, the NASA sites become a two-hemisphere configuration which is ideal for a number of Earth physics applications such as the observation of the polar motion with a time resolution of a fraction of a day. Geopause also provides the basic capability for satellite-to-satellite tracking of drag-free satellites for mapping the gravity field and altimeter satellites for surveying the sea surface topography. Geopause tracking a coplanar, drag-free satellite for two months to 0.03 mm per second accuracy can yield the geoid over the entire Earth to decimeter accuracy with 2.5° spatial resolution. Two Geopause satellites tracking a coplanar altimeter satellite can then yield ocean surface heights above the geoid with 7° spatial resolution every two weeks. These data will furnish basic boundary condition information about mass and heat flows in the oceans which are important in shaping weather and climate.     

中低纬地区混合LEO星座增强GNSS UPPP收敛性能评估

针对全球卫星导航系统（GNSS）精密单点定位（PPP）收敛时间过长的问题，提出了利用低轨卫星（LEO）几何结构变化快的优势，增强GNSS非差非组合PPP（UPPP）的收敛性能。选取中低纬度地区28个能接收GPS、GALILEO和BDS3信号的测站观测数据，比较了极轨和混合LEO星座的增强效果。结果表明：混合LEO星座增强GPS、GALILEO和BDS组合系统时，各测站收敛时间减少60%~80%，70%的测站收敛速度优于极轨星座。当混合LEO星座增强单BDS时，CL和GCL组合系统的收敛时间相当，ENU方向定位误差变化基本一致。收敛时间从10~20 min 下降至3 min以内，原因是混合LEO增强BDS定位时，大大改善了卫星的空间结构。     

Global communication using a constellation of low Earth meridianorbits

The concept of meridian orbits is briefly reviewed. It is shown that, if a satellite in the meridian orbit makes an odd number (>1) of revolutions per day, then the satellite passes over the same set of meridians twice a day. Satellites in such orbits pass over the same portion of the sky twice a day and every day. This enables a user to adopt a programmed mode of tracking, thereby avoiding a computational facility for orbit prediction, look angle generation, and auto tracking. A constellation of 38 or more satellites placed in a 1200-km altitude circular orbit is favorable for global communications due to various factors. It is shown that appropriate phasing in right ascension of the ascending node and mean anomaly results in a constellation wherein each satellite appears over the user's horizon one satellite after another. Visibility and coverage plots are provided to verify the continuous coverage     

基于我国深空站三向测量模式的数据精度分析

为了验证我国深空站三向测量模式的正确性,以同步星跟踪试验中的测量数据为基础,建立了站间同步修正算法和三向测量观测模型,通过与同步卫星的精密星历反算测量值比较,得到了测量数据的标定参数,结果表明,我国深空站测控能够实现dm级的测量精度,明显优于“嫦娥二号”测量的水平;同时利用测量数据进行定轨策略分析,最终实现了10 m量级的同步卫星定轨精度.分析结果为“嫦娥三号”探测器实施有效测控提供了依据.     

GNSS实时卫星钟差估计在地震监测中的应用

为快速、有效地获取地震发生阶段震源周边地区站点的动态位移，为地震预警系统提供高可靠性的地表形变信息，利用全球导航卫星系统（global navigation satellite system, GNSS）高频观测数据，基于非差估计法对多模GNSS卫星钟差进行实时估计及性能分析，并将其应用于精密单点定位（precise point positioning, PPP）实时计算2021年漾濞Mw6.4地震和玛多Mw 7.4地震的地面动态形变。结果表明,GNSS四系统实时估计卫星钟差的标准差（standard deviation, STD）均值为0.142 ns，其多系统组合PPP动态解的平均标准差在水平方向达到0.5 cm，高程方向达到1.0 cm，计算得到的地震动态位移波形相对GPS单系统更为稳定，而且能够获得较为准确的同震形变。     

Improvement of Satellite Tracking Accuracy Using Optical Observations

A method to improve satellite tracking accuracy is presented and discussed theoretically and experimentally in terms of two parts: correction for errors of the tracking system and correction of satellite orbit predictions. In the first part, it is concluded that the pointing error of the tracking system can be determined accurately using data from stellar observations, so that correction is possible with an accuracy of about 0.001°. In the second part, it is shown that apparent errors of satellite orbital elements can be deduced from the optical observation of one orbit, and one can track the satellite after the correction with high accuracy for several subsequent orbits. The accuracy is 0.1-0.2 mrad or better for satellites at 1000 km altitude when given orbit prediction accuracy is approximately 1°.     

低轨导航星座增强BDS精密单点定位技术验证CSCD

首先介绍了低轨增强北斗精密单点定位(PPP)的观测模型、参数估计与数据处理策略。然后对低轨导航增强仿真验证系统及误差仿真配置进行了说明,基于验证系统仿真了全球20个监测站的北斗及低轨导航数据,并通过单北斗及低轨增强北斗静态PPP试验,给出了低轨增强北斗的高精度定位测试评估结果。结果表明,加入150颗低轨卫星观测量后,20个测站PPP精度收敛到10cm之内只需约1min;低轨增强北斗实现静态收敛后,定位精度东方向均值为1.5cm,北方向均值为0.3cm,高程方向均值为2.2cm。相较于北斗单独精密定位,20个监测站收敛后组合定位精度从5cm左右提升到3cm左右。加入低轨卫星可大大加快PPP收敛速度,提升定位精度,验证了低轨卫星在增强PPP精度和收敛速度上的优越性,同时仿真验证系统可支持全链路闭环仿真验证。     

低轨卫星对高轨卫星仅测角初轨计算方法

针对我国地面测站对高轨卫星监视能力缺乏的问题,提出一种低轨卫星对高轨卫星仅测角初轨计算方法。该算法引入天基跟踪坐标系,消除测距信息影响,建立仅测角观测方程;引入法向运动,增加摄动因素影响,建立扩展拉普拉斯动力学模型;推导分析观测模型和动力学模型的关系方程,将初轨计算问题转换为非线性方程求解问题,利用高斯全主元消去法完成方程求解。通过实战和仿真测角数据对方法进行检验,结果表明,该方法能利用仅测角数据对非合作目标进行初轨确定,精度在公里量级,可为我国地基监视系统提供补充参考。     

利用改正数信息的北斗三号实时精密单点定位及性能分析

北斗三号全球卫星导航系统已正式建成并开通服务。为了利用实时改正数信息系统地揭示北斗三号精密单点定位性能，并为用户提供理论依据和应用参考，首先解算了卫星实时精密轨道、钟差及其改正数，分析了其精度。然后基于实时改正数信息，利用监测站广播星历和观测数据，分别进行了双频静态、双频仿动态、单频静态和单频仿动态仿实时精密单点定位，以评估其性能。结果表明：北斗三号MEO卫星实时轨道和钟差精度均值分别约为12cm和0.2ns，满足实时精密单点定位需求。静态实时精密单点定位精度优于动态，双频优于单频，均可达到分米级。对于定位收敛时间，双频静态最短，约为40min；双频动态和单频静态均约为85min；单频动态最长，约为120min。     

GNSS广域差分改正数估计方法研究

随着我国北斗三号基本系统的正式运行，基于地面监测站的广域差分增强系统成为进一步提升卫星导航定位精度的手段之一。在码噪声多径误差修正（CNMC）的基础上，使用等效钟差方法实现GNSS卫星轨道与钟差误差的解耦，并依据卫星轨道运动的动力学特性，引入希尔差分方程描述卫星轨道误差变化，实现对轨道误差的实时卡尔曼滤波估计。基于GPS实测数据，对改正前后的用户等效测距误差（UERE）和定位精度进行了对比研究。实验结果表明，采用该方法，UERE标准差由改正前的0.456 m减小至0.227 m，降幅达到50.22%；整体水平定位误差（95%置信区间）由0.981 m减小至0.782 m，垂直定位误差（95%置信区间）由1.991 m减小至1.131 m，分别提升了20.29%和43.19%，差分改正效果明显。     

A demonstration of sub meter GPS orbit determination and highprecision user positioning

High-accuracy orbits have been determined for satellites of the Global Positioning System (GPS), with submeter orbit accuracy demonstrated for two well-tracked satellites. Baselines of up to 2000 km in North America determined with the GPS orbits shows daily repeatability of 0.3-2 parts in 10⁸ and agree with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) solutions at the level of 1.5 parts in 10 ⁸. Tests used to assess orbit accuracy include orbit repeatability from independent data sets, orbit prediction, ground baseline determination, and formal errors. One satellite tracked for eight hours each day shows RMS errors below 1 m even when predicted more than three days outside of a 1-week data arc. These results demonstrate the powerful relative positioning capability available from differential GPS tracking. Baselines have also been estimated between Florida and sites in the Caribbean region over 1000 km away, with daily repeatability of 1-4 parts in 10⁸. The best orbit estimation strategies included data arcs of 1-2 weeks, process noise models for tropospheric fluctuations, combined processing of GPS carrier phase and pseudorange data, and estimation of GPS solar pressure coefficients     

I: PRECISE ORBIT DETERMINATION AND GRAVITY FIELD MODELLING: Strategies for Precise Orbit Determination of Low Earth Orbiters Using the GPS

Considerable experience accumulated during the past decade in strategies for processing GPS data from ground-based geodetic receivers. First experience on the use of GPS observations from spaceborne receivers for orbit determination of satellites on low altitude orbits was gained with the launch of TOPEX/POSEIDON ten years ago. The launch of the CHAMP satellite in July 2000 stimulated a number of activities worldwide on improving the strategies and algorithms for orbit determination for Low Earth Orbiters (LEOs) using the GPS. Similar strategies as for ground-based receivers are applied to data from spaceborne GPS receivers to determine high precision orbits. Zero- and double-differencing techniques are applied to obtain kinematic and/or reduced-dynamic orbits with an accuracy which is today at the decimeter level. Further developments in modeling and processing strategies will continuously improve the quality of GPS-derived LEO orbits in the near future. A significant improvement can be expected from fixing double-difference phase ambiguities to integer numbers. Particular studies focus on the impact of a combined processing of LEO and GPS orbits on the quality of orbits and the reference frame realization. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.