Precise Orbit Determination for LEO Satellites With Ambiguity Resolution: Improvement and Comparison

Zhang, Keke; Li, Xingxing; Wu, Jiaqi; Yuan, Yongqiang; Li, Xin; Zhang, Xiaohong; Zhang, Wei

doi:10.1029/2021jb022491

Cited by 25 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…Listed in table 8 are the statistical results of the improvement percentage of LEO orbital accuracy, which improved from 3.28, 1.85, 2.49 and 2.62 cm to 2.54, 1.40, 1.95 and 2.03 cm after AR for the along-track, cross-track, radial, and 1D components, with average improvement of 22.5%, 24.3%, 21.6%, and 22.5%, respectively. This phenomenon is not consistent with the AR enhancement results of BDS-3 but is consistent with the AR for LEO reported in previous research [29,30].…”

Section: Analysis Of Leo Orbit Accuracy Improvementcontrasting

confidence: 54%

“…Initially, Kroes et al [18] conducted a DD AR based on formation-flying GRACE satellites, which yielded relative POD results that were maintained at 1 mm consistency with K-Band Ranging measurements. Subsequently, with the development of service end-phase bias product estimation [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26], SD AR methods have been realized for LEO satellites, such as GRACE-FO, Swarm, and Sentinel-3A [27][28][29][30]. In addition to SD AR methods, the UD AR is a method for recovering ambiguity as an integer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Precise orbit determination of integrated BDS-3 and LEO satellites with ambiguity fixing under regional ground stations

Lai,

Huang,

Wang

et al. 2024

Meas. Sci. Technol.

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The ambiguity resolution (AR) significantly enhances the accuracy of precise orbit determination (POD). There have been numerous studies of different forms of POD: double-difference (DD), single-difference (SD), and un-differenced (UD) AR methods for global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) or low earth orbit (LEO). However, challenges persist in the integrated POD (IPOD) of the GNSS and LEO at regional ground stations. These challenges include the frequent selection of dual receiver-satellite pairs in DD methods, and time-varying hardware biases in LEO receivers for UD methods. In addition, the SD AR method has not been explored in IPOD, resulting in unfixed ambiguities. In this study, we investigated the feasibility and performance enhancement of AR in the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) and LEO IPOD under regional ground stations using simulated ground and onboard observations. First, we introduce AR models applicable to BDS and LEO IPOD and analyze the applicability of different AR models for IPOD under regional ground stations. We designed a study to utilize SD ambiguity, which eliminates the time-varying hardware bias of the LEO receiver end, to estimate the uncalibrated phase delay (UPD) of the satellite end. Furthermore, we designed the BDS-3 and LEO constellations with 24 regional ground stations in China and simulated seven days of observations. Subsequently, the narrow-lane (NL) UPD quality and AR performance were analyzed, and a solution with satisfactory stability and residual distribution was obtained, enabling the implementation of SD AR. The daily fixed rate for wide-lane ambiguities exceeded 99%, while for NL ambiguities it surpasses 86%. After fixing ambiguities, the BDS-3 orbit’s along-track and cross-track components significantly improved. Simultaneously, LEO orbit solutions improved by over 20% in all three directions. Overall, the UPD estimation model using SD ambiguities yielded satisfactory UPD results, enabling AR and significantly enhancing the orbit accuracy of GNSS and LEO.

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Section: Analysis Of Leo Orbit Accuracy Improvementcontrasting

confidence: 54%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Precise orbit determination of integrated BDS-3 and LEO satellites with ambiguity fixing under regional ground stations

Lai,

Huang,

Wang

et al. 2024

Meas. Sci. Technol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…(2020) and Zhang et al. (2021). For the LEO GPS receiver, the reference values of the nominal phase center offset (PCO) are provided by the respective manufacturer, and in‐flight phase center variation (PCV) calibration is conducted using the residuals stacking approach (Jäggi et al., 2009).…”

Section: Pod Models and Data Setmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Different from CNES/CLS products, the observable-specific signal biases (OSB) product obtained from the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) (Schaer et al, 2021) or Wuhan University (WHU) (Geng et al, 2019) together with corresponding clock and orbit products are available to support single-receiver ambiguity fixing. Both strategies are equivalent, as described in Banville et al (2020) and Zhang et al (2021). For the LEO GPS receiver, the reference values of the nominal phase center offset (PCO) are provided by the respective manufacturer, and in-flight phase center variation (PCV) calibration is conducted using the residuals stacking approach (Jäggi et al, 2009).…”

Section: Pod Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving Precise Orbit Determination of LEO Satellites Using Enhanced Solar Radiation Pressure Modeling

Wang

Jiang

et al. 2023

Space Weather

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Precise orbit knowledge is a fundamental requirement for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. High‐precision non‐gravitational force modeling directly improves the overall quality of LEO precise orbit determination (POD). To address the potential systematic errors in solar radiation pressure (SRP), we introduce observed radiation data and modeled physical effects to describe the real in‐flight environment of satellites. Time‐dependent solar irradiance data and a highly physical shadow model are considered for SRP modeling. We develop an advanced thermal reradiation model for satellite solar panels. A set of improved non‐gravitational force models is performed for LEO POD, and we discuss the benefits of the enhanced dynamic models on orbit quality and dependence on empirical parameters. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow‐On (GRACE‐FO), Jason‐3, and Haiyang‐2B missions are selected for the POD process. Estimated empirical acceleration and scale parameters and independent satellite laser ranging (SLR) are used to validate the final orbit solutions. The magnitude of empirical acceleration estimated in POD is reduced by 19% with the enhanced dynamic modeling, and the estimated scale factor for the SRP converges to stable and reasonable level. Furthermore, the steady‐state temperature model used in thermal reradiation can effectively reduce mismodeled effects in the SRP, and the systematic linear dependency revealed by the SLR residuals is significantly reduced for the GRACE‐C and Jason‐3 satellites, with improvements of approximately 61% and 49%, respectively. Overall, advances are made in the explicit modeling of non‐gravitational forces to pursue superior satellite orbits, suggesting a more dynamic orbit solution.

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“…Other signal delays, such as antenna phase centre variations, also contribute in a lesser extent to this fractional part of the ambiguity. To overcome this limitation, differential observations are commonly used to remove the fractional part and recover the integer ambiguities (Zhang et al, 2021).…”

Section: Integer Ambiguity Resolution Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Precise Relative Navigation in Medium Earth Orbits with Global Navigation Satellite Systems and Intersatellite Links for Black Hole Imaging

Salas,

Fernández,

van den IJssel

2024

Preprint

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The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is a ground-based array of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) telescopes designed to image the event horizon of black holes. To overcome its limitations, this work explores a mission concept involving a two-satellite constellation of VLBI telescopes deployed in circular and polar Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) at more than 8000 km altitude.  The attainment of high-resolution black hole images requires extremely precise baseline determination at the few millimetre level. To address this challenge, each satellite within the constellation is equipped with two Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers and an optical Intersatellite Link (ISL) for relative navigation. This work assesses the feasibility of achieving highly accurate relative positioning within the constellation, particularly considering the large intersatellite distances involved. The methodology employed in this simulation study encompasses several steps. Initially, the satellite orbits are estimated independently for each satellite using GNSS observations. Following this, the orbit of one of the satellites is held fixed as a reference, while the orbit of the other satellite is re-estimated by incorporating the ISL observations. To enhance the accuracy of the orbit estimation, integer GNSS ambiguity resolution is implemented in the precise orbit determination process. The simulated data incorporates an extensive set of realistic error sources, including thermal noise, instrumental delays, clock biases, errors in the GNSS ephemerides and clocks, uncertainties in the geopotential and solar radiation pressure models, and white noise in the ISL observations.The results highlight the importance of integer ambiguity resolution in meeting the stringent relative navigation requirements of the mission. The analysis also reveals that the ISL observations primarily improve the baseline estimation along the direction of the link itself. However, in the direction of the black hole, the impact of ISL observations is minimal, indicating that the ISL does not significantly contribute to meeting the specific relative navigation requirements. Furthermore, the study identifies that large intersatellite distances lead to degraded relative orbit accuracy due to fewer shared errors between the two satellites. The work will show the accuracy obtained with the simulations, the assumptions considered, and the next steps needed.

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Precise Orbit Determination for LEO Satellites With Ambiguity Resolution: Improvement and Comparison

Cited by 25 publications

References 58 publications

Precise orbit determination of integrated BDS-3 and LEO satellites with ambiguity fixing under regional ground stations

Precise orbit determination of integrated BDS-3 and LEO satellites with ambiguity fixing under regional ground stations

Improving Precise Orbit Determination of LEO Satellites Using Enhanced Solar Radiation Pressure Modeling

Precise Relative Navigation in Medium Earth Orbits with Global Navigation Satellite Systems and Intersatellite Links for Black Hole Imaging

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