Autonomous navigation using the TDRSS Onboard Navigation System (TONS)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is currently developing a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) System (TDRSS) Onboard Navigation System (TONS) to provide onboard knowledge of highly accurate navigation products autonomously to users of TDRSS. The TONS I operational system processes Doppler data derived from scheduled forward-link S-band services to provide onboard orbit and frequency determination and time maintenance. TONS I is implemented using a stable onboard frequency reference, a Doppler measurement capability in the user transponder, and onboard navigation/signal acquisition software. The success of the TONS experiment (1992/1993), which was implemented on the Explorer Platform/Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EP/EUVE) spacecraft, demonstrated the flight readiness of TONS I. TONS II-A provides the user with additional Doppler data derived from an S-band beacon signal, available approximately 80 percent of the time. This paper describes the TONS operational capabilities, configurations, and expected performance.     

Precision orbit determination for TOPEX/Poseidon using TDRSS doppler tracking data

Precision orbit determination on the TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) altimeter satellite is now being routinely achieved with sub-5cm radial and sub-15 cm total positioning accuracy using state-of-the-art modeling with precision tracking provided by a combination of: (a) global Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS), or (b) the Global Positioning System (GPS) Constellation which provides pseudo-range and carrier phase observations. The geostationary Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) satellites are providing the operational tracking and communication support for this mission. The TDRSS Doppler data are of high precision (0.3 mm/s nominal noise levels). Unlike other satellite missions supported operationally by TDRSS, T/P has high quality independent tracking which enables absolute orbit accuracy assessments. In addition, the T/P satellite provides extensive geometry for positioning a satellite at geostationary altitude, and thus the TDRSS-T/P data provides an excellent means for determining the TDRS orbits. Arc lengths of 7 and 10 days with varying degrees of T/P spacecraft attitude complexity are studied. Sub-meter T/P total positioning error is achieved when using the TDRSS range-rate data, with radial orbit errors of 10.6 cm and 15.5 cm RMS for the two arcs studied. Current limitations in the TDRSS precision orbit determination capability include mismodeling of numerous TDRSS satellite-specific dynamic and electronic effects, and in the inadequate treatment of the propagation delay and bending arising from the wet troposphere and ionosphere.     

中继卫星单址链路调度模型与算法研究

中继卫星的任务规划与调度是空间资源管理的重要内容之一,目的在于为中继卫星系统的任务计划编制提供科学合理的决策手段与依据。中继卫星单址链路调度问题的重要特点在于,中继卫星与用户航天器之间并非时时可见,因此通信任务存在可见时间窗口约束。只有在可见时间窗口内,通信任务才可能执行并完成。在进行合理假设的基础上,建立中继卫星单址链路调度问题的约束规划模型。对基本遗传算法进行改进,提出了基于有效基因路径表示的改进遗传算法。应用结果表明,基于约束规划理论建立中继卫星单址链路调度模型并采用基于有效基因路径表示的遗传算法求解是合理的。     

Accuracy assessment of TDRSS-based TOPEX/Poseidon orbit determination

Orbit determination results are obtained for the Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX)/Poseidon spacecraft by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Division (FDD) using a batch-least-squares estimator available in the Goddard Trajector Determination System (GTDS) to process Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) System (TDRSS) measurements. The GTDS orbit solutions are compared with the definitive Precision Orbit Determination (POD) orbit solutions. The root-mean-square (RMS) solution difference in the radial component is 28 centimeters.     

Landsat-4 orbit determination using TDRSS

This paper presents the results of a study to compare the orbit determination accuracy for a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) System (TDRSS)-user spacecraft, Landsat-4, obtained using a Prototype Filter Smoother (PFS), with the accuracy of an established batch-least-squares system, the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS). The results of Landsat-4 orbit determination provide useful experience for the Earth Observing System (EOS) series of satellites. The filtered and smoothed PFS orbit solutions were compared with the definitive GTDS orbit solutions for Landsat-4; the root-mean-square (RMS) solution difference was 6.6 meters.     

跟踪与数据中继卫星(TDRS)跟踪用户星的条件分析

中继卫星是航天测控网发展的必然趋势.一颗中继卫星对不同轨道的用户星测控支持能力是不同的,受多种因素的影响.从理论上详尽地分析了地球同步轨道中继卫星(TDRS)对近地航天器的跟踪条件,计算了中继卫星对各种轨道高度近地航天器的测控覆盖率,给出了中继星到用户星可视算法、地球遮挡和受太阳直射的计算公式,通过专业STK软件仿真验证了所得结论的正确性,它们可以作为确定天基网的中继星数量和对在轨中继卫星进行资源分配的理论依据.      

X射线脉冲星脉冲到达航天器时间测量

X射线脉冲星脉冲到达时间(TOA)的空间测量是航天器自主导航和用脉冲星钟作航天器时间标准的基础.在简要介绍地面射电观测TOA测量方法基础上,重点研究了X射线脉冲星脉冲到达时间的空间测量方法和算法.讨论了利用X射线脉冲星辐射光子到达时间观测,建立X射线脉冲轮廓的方法;给出了通过观测得到的X射线脉冲轮廓与标准脉冲轮廓比较,精确确定TOA的测量方法和实用算法.讨论了削弱多普勒效应对TOA测量影响的方法.      

Time synchronization of new-generation BDS satellites using inter-satellite link measurements

Autonomous satellite navigation is based on the ability of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), such as Beidou, to estimate orbits and clock parameters onboard satellites using Inter-Satellite Link (ISL) measurements instead of tracking data from a ground monitoring network. This paper focuses on the time synchronization of new-generation Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) satellites equipped with an ISL payload. Two modes of Ka-band ISL measurements, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) mode and the continuous link mode, were used onboard these BDS satellites. Using a mathematical formulation for each measurement mode along with a derivation of the satellite clock offsets, geometric ranges from the dual one-way measurements were introduced. Then, pseudoranges and clock offsets were evaluated for the new-generation BDS satellites. The evaluation shows that the ranging accuracies of TDMA ISL and the continuous link are approximately 4?cm and 1?cm (root mean square, RMS), respectively. Both lead to ISL clock offset residuals of less than 0.3?ns (RMS). For further validation, time synchronization between these satellites to a ground control station keeping the systematic time in BDT was conducted using L-band Two-way Satellite Time Frequency Transfer (TWSTFT). System errors in the ISL measurements were calibrated by comparing the derived clock offsets with the TWSTFT. The standard deviations of the estimated ISL system errors are less than 0.3?ns, and the calibrated ISL clock parameters are consistent with that of the L-band TWSTFT. For the regional BDS network, the addition of ISL measurements for medium orbit (MEO) BDS satellites increased the clock tracking coverage by more than 40% for each orbital revolution. As a result, the clock predicting error for the satellite M1S was improved from 3.59 to 0.86?ns (RMS), and the predicting error of the satellite M2S was improved from 1.94 to 0.57?ns (RMS), which is a significant improvement by a factor of 3–4.     

天地基联合多星定轨及精度分析

数据中继卫星和双星定位系统通常由2或3颗地球同步卫星和数颗近地卫星组成,这些系统所提供的“星-星”测量数据提出了多星同时定轨的需求。文章介绍了已知天基星星历定轨和未知天基星星历定轨的主要差别,建立了距离和观测量的测量模型,描述了多星同时定轨的技术难点,分析了整个系统的定轨精度。     

多普勒跟踪测量用于时空引力检验的尝试:(Ⅰ)理论建模

作为多普勒跟踪测量用于时空引力检验的尝试,在多普勒建模过程中加入了对于局部洛仑兹不变性(LLI)以及局部位置不变性(LPI)的检验参数。LLI/LPI是包括广义相对论在内的任何度规引力理论的基石。通过迭代求解多普勒建模过程中所需的光行时解,证明了只有在单程以及三程多普勒测量中可以检验LLI和LPI。鉴于该种测量手段无需额外载荷以及我国测控精度,可以尝试通过单/三程多普勒测量来检验LLI和LPI的科学目标。     

基于信息融合的深空探测器的自主导航方法

天文导航是深空探测器实现自主导航的重要手段之一 ,其基本原理是基于航天器轨道动力学方程和对天体的观测信息 ,利用卡尔曼滤波精确估计航天器的位置和速度。但由于天文导航只使用了相对于天体的角度信息 ,所以定位精度较低。为解决这一问题 ,文章提出了一种在天文观测信息的基础上 ,同时利用多普勒频移测量探测器与地面站的相对速度 ,并利用信息融合将两者有效的结合在一起的导航新方法。计算机仿真结果显示 ,该方法可以大大提高导航定位的精度     

“嫦娥二号”小行星探测试验定轨计算与分析

嫦娥二号于2012-04-15开展对图塔蒂斯小行星的探测试验,至2012-12-13与图塔蒂斯交会,共飞行243 d,这是我国对小行星的首次探测.因为未安装星载导航设备,CE-2 在小行星探测试验的全过程均基于地基USB（Unified S-Band）与甚长基线干涉测量技术（VLBI,Very Long Baseline Interferometry）测量实现导航.对小行星探测期间的定轨计算及精度分析进行了讨论,对我国新建深空站的测量数据进行了分析.针对交会前最后一次轨道机动后,仅有13 d控后数据的现状,提出了快速轨道重建策略.计算结果表明该策略不仅可以有效改进定轨计算精度,还可以实现轨控速度增量的标定.基于重叠弧段的轨道分析比较表明,单独使用USB长弧数据计算可以获得10 km的定轨精度,综合USB与VLBI数据联合定轨,定轨精度可以提高1倍.     

Performance assessment of real-time orbit determination for the Haiyang-2D using onboard BDS-3/GPS observations

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers equipped on the Haiyang-2D (HY-2D) satellite is capable of tracking the signals of both the third generation of BeiDou satellite navigation System (BDS-3) and the Global Positioning System (GPS), which make it feasible to assess the performance of real-time orbit determination (RTOD) for the HY-2D using onboard GNSS observations. In this study, the achievable accuracy and convergence time of RTOD for the HY-2D using onboard BDS-3 and GPS observations are analyzed. Benefiting from the binary-offset-carrier (BOC) modulation, the BDS-3 C1X signal includes less noise than the GPS C1C signal, which has the same signal frequency and chipping rate. The root mean squares (RMS) of the noises of C1X and C1C code measurements are 0.579 m and 1.636 m, respectively. Thanks to a ten-times higher chipping rate, the code measurements of BDS-3 C5P, GPS C1W and C2W are less noisy. The RMS of code noises of BDS-3 C5P, GPS C1W, and C2W are 0.044 m, 0.386 m, and 0.272 m, respectively. For the HY-2D orbit, the three-dimensional (3D) and radial accuracies can reach 31.8 cm and 7.5 cm with only BDS-3 observations, around 50 % better than the corresponding accuracies with GPS. Better performance of the BDS-3 in RTOD for the HY-2D is attributed to the high quality of its broadcast ephemeris. When random parameters are used to absorb ephemeris errors, substantial improvement is seen in the accuracy of HY-2D orbit with either BDS-3 or GPS. The 3D RMS of HY-2D orbit errors with BDS-3 and GPS are enhanced to 23.1 cm and 33.6 cm, and the RMS of the radial components are improved to 6.1 cm and 13.3 cm, respectively. The convergence time is 41.6 and 75.5 min for the RTOD with BDS-3 and GPS, while it is reduced to 39.2 and 27.4 min after the broadcast ephemeris errors are absorbed by random parameters. Overall, the achievable accuracy of RTOD with BDS-3 reaches decimeter level, which is even better than that with GPS, making real-time navigation using onboard BDS-3 observations a feasible choice for future remote sensing missions.     

Comparison of GPS S/C orbits determined from GPS and SLR tracking data

The last two Global Positioning System (GPS) spacecraft launched on August 30, 1993 and March 10, 1994 carried identical laser retroreflector arrays that allow laser ranging from ground stations. Tracking of these targets is a low priority for most of the ground stations due to the present mandatory support of missions with no alternative tracking. The available data is sparse and concentrated primarily on the first of the two spacecraft, GPS-35 (PRN 5). Despite this, analysis of this data set indicates that there is great potential for engineering and scientific experiments in a synergistic application of Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and radiometric GPS techniques.     

Star angle/ double-differenced pulse time of arrival integrated navigation method for Jupiter exploration

Pulsar navigation is a promising autonomous navigation system for spacecraft, which is applicable to the entire solar system. However, the pulsar’s directional error and the onboard clock error are two types of systematic errors that seriously reduce navigation accuracy. To solve this problem, a star angle/double-differenced pulse time of arrival(SA/DDTOA) integrated navigation method is proposed. Since measurements obtained by observing different pulsars contain the same clock errors, the measurements can be differed to eliminate the common clock error. Then, the pulsar-differenced measurements at neighbor filtering time can be differed to suppress the effect of the pulsar’s directional error on navigation precision. Star angle is used to obtain absolute navigation information, which denotes the angles between the light of sight of Jupiter and that of its background stars. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method can eliminate the influence of the onboard clock error and greatly weaken the effects of the pulsar’s directional error. The navigation accuracy is better than the traditional star angle/pulse time of arrival integrated navigation method and star angle/pulse time difference of arrival integrated navigation method. In addition, the navigation accuracy of the SA/DDTOA integrated navigation method is less affected by Jupiter’s ephemeris error. This work greatly reduces the influence of common systematic errors in pulsar navigation on navigation accuracy.     

高轨微弱信号的跟踪算法分析及仿真

高轨航天器自主导航技术是中国迫切需要发展的航天新技术之一,广泛应用于通信、导航、气象、预警等领域.高轨导航接收机为高轨航天器自主导航定位提供了便捷有效的手段.在高动态环境下,载波频率和相位、伪码相位均随载体运动发生较大变化.由于载体动态引入的多普勒频率变化对伪码跟踪环的影响可通过载波辅助消除,接收机的动态性能主要取决于...     

基于星间测量的卫星星座 自主导航算法

自主导航能力是新一代导航星座的重要特性,利用卫星星间相对测量实现星座自主导航,是实现导航星座自主运行的基础.基于相对测量的导航卫星自主导航问题,将导致测量方程和状态方程的高度非线性,对导航算法提出了新的要求.在总结前人工作的基础上,提出了一种星载导航算法方案:利用三颗卫星之间的相对矢量在惯性空间的投影作为测量量,利用高精度星载轨道预报器作为系统的状态方程,使用SRUKF(Square Root Unscented Kalman Filter)滤波算法同时对三颗卫星的位置进行估计.仿真结果表明,该方案具有可行性,并且当轨道预报器的精度较高时有可能在100d内实现5m的导航精度.      

用户星高度对中继卫星星间链路的性能影响

数据中继卫星(简称中继星)系统可为各种用户星提供优质服务,但用户星轨道高度严重影响了中继星与用户星之间的星间链路(IOL)性能。文章通过数学模型来计算IOL自由空间损耗的极值和中继星星间天线的视场角,并用STK进行了仿真验证。基于此模型,对近地圆轨道航天器和导航卫星两种用户进行了实例分析。发现对近地圆轨道用户星,自由空间损耗的最大值与最小值之差和天线视场角均不大,设计时不需要特别考虑;而对导航卫星用户,两项参数值分别高达15dB和大于35°,需采用相应措施来避免过设计和解决视场角大的问题。     

Accuracy and coverage of the modernized Polish Maritime differential GPS system

The DGPS navigation service augments The NAVSTAR Global Positioning System by providing localized pseudorange correction factors and ancillary information which are broadcast over selected marine reference stations. The DGPS service position and integrity information satisfy requirements in coastal navigation and hydrographic surveys. Polish Maritime DGPS system has been established in 1994 and modernized (in 2009) to meet the requirements set out in IMO resolution for a future GNSS, but also to preserve backward signal compatibility of user equipment. Having finalized installation of the new technology L1, L2 reference equipment performance tests were performed.     

GPS/INS超紧组合载波跟踪环路最优带宽在线设计

在全球定位系统和惯性导航系统组成的超紧耦合系统中,卫星信号的跟踪性能直接取决于载波跟踪环路的带宽。为提高最优带宽的计算精度,在对惯导辅助下载波跟踪环路跟踪特性进行分析的基础上,详细推导了载波多普勒频率估计误差、多普勒频率变化率估计误差的计算方式,建立了惯导辅助下的环路跟踪误差模型;在实时估计跟踪载噪比的基础上,应用离散牛顿二阶梯度法迭代解算最优带宽,并进行实时调整。仿真结果表明,所设计最优带宽迭代解算方法的计算精度能够在11次迭代内达到99.6%,以此作为环路的带宽,能够在弱信号、辅助信息精度较低的情况下有效提高环路的跟踪精度。