转发式测距和直发式伪距的GEO卫星联合定轨

GEO卫星是区域卫星导航系统空间段的重要组成部分.仿真模拟表明,在星座组网运行时通过差分策略可消除卫星钟差,但对只有GEO在轨运行的单星模式需要引进其他测轨技术才可能获得高精度的GEO轨道和钟差信息.本文提出联合转发式测距和直发式伪距数据的GEO卫星联合定轨和钟差估计方案,克服了转发式跟踪站数量和测距数据有限的问题,实现了对直发式伪距跟踪站星地组合钟差的估计,并且保持了卫星星历与钟差的自洽性.利用我国区域跟踪网对GEO卫星的实测数据进行了联合定轨试验,开展了详细的误差协方差分析说明了转发式和直发式两种测轨技术的贡献,结果表明：转发式测距数据的定轨残差为0.203m,直发式伪距的定轨残差为0.408m.定轨弧段内激光外符视向精度为0.076m,预报2h激光外符视向精度为0.404m,星地钟差估计精度约为1.38ns.对于基于单个转发跟踪站的转发直发联合定轨,激光外符视向精度为0.280m,预报2h激光外符视向精度为0.888m,星地钟差估计精度约为1.55ns.相关指标满足了导航服务的需求.     

亚分米级精密定轨的探索

通过分析ENVISAT卫星跟踪的激光和DORIS测量数据,在完整力学模型的基础上,分别采用经验加速度修正和大气密度修正两种模式,对其进行精密轨道确定.经与精密轨道星历解进行比较,其结果达到了2~4 cm的径向轨道精度.     

北斗三号GEO卫星的RDSS定轨精度分析

有源服务模式RDSS(Radio Determination Satellite Service)所具备的通信、导航一体化特性是我国北斗卫星导航系统的重要特色之一.为进一步提高RDSS的通信服务能力,并保障RDSS服务系统的健壮性,北斗三号RDSS服务从系统架构到信号体制都进行了很大改进.本文首先分析了新的信号体制下,RDSS测距在测量模型和观测噪声等方面的误差特性,并比较了其与原有信号体制的不同.为了避免在RNSS(Radio Navigation Satellite Service)载荷故障时RDSS不能正常提供导航服务的情况发生,RDSS系统需要能够仅利用RDSS测距完成GEO测轨,以此作为原有RNSS测轨的备份保障.文章进一步分析了这种情况下,仅利用RDSS测距进行GEO定轨的精度.通过实测数据分析,我们发现其精度可优于10 m,利用该轨道信息的定位、定时精度可以满足服务指标要求.     

基于星载GPS非差数据的COSMIC卫星几何定轨研究

COSMIC的大地测量任务重点在于解算地球重力场模型以及低阶重力场时变规律研究,这需要卫星精密几何轨道．文中根据CODE的GPS卫星精密星历和时钟,COSMIC卫星设计轨道和定轨GPS天线设计,模拟了COSMIC星载GPS观测量．利用运动学原理,研究了基于星载GPS非差数据的COSMIC几何定轨能力．COSMIC具有两个定轨天线（POD＋X和-X）,单独利用一个天线观测的几何定轨结果精度基本一致,都大于模拟时给定的随机误差．这主要是由卫星设计的POD天线位置造成的,两个天线的视准向量与天顶方向之间的夹角不同,同时POD＋X位于卫星飞行方向,而POD—X背向卫星飞行方向．为了改善几何定轨精度,利用POD＋X和一X天线构成一个虚拟天线,将两个POD天线的观测归算到虚拟天线．利用虚拟天线的观测,进行精密几何定轨,通过与参考轨道的比较,定轨精度与给定的模拟随机误差基本一致．     

同波束VLBI在采样返回式多目标探测器精密测轨测位中的应用

同波束VLBI即用射电望远镜的主波束同时观测角距很小的两个探测器发出的巧妙配置的多频点信标,据此得到两探测器在两个测站间的误差为皮秒量级的差分相位时延．在月球卫星SELENE的两个小卫星Rstar和Vstar的测定轨中,利用40多分钟的同波束VLBI和测速测距数据数小时的短弧定轨精度已显著提高,而一年多的定轨结果表明弧长数天的长弧定轨精度已达10m左右,充分证明了同波束VLBI在多目标卫星精密测定轨中的作用．本文在介绍SELENE同波束VLBI观测、多普勒数据处理和定轨结果的基础上,以用于月球采样返回探测任务中的多目标探测器如轨道器、着陆器和返回器为例,给出各探测器搭载电波源的信标设计方案及设计原则,并分析S频段多频点同波束VLBI技术在轨道器和着陆器绕月飞行、着陆器月球软着陆、着陆器月球采样、返回器从月面上升、返回器多次变轨、特别是轨道器和返回器交会对接等各个测控段的高精度测定轨或测定位及月球重力场探测中的应用．     

上海和乌鲁木齐射电望远镜的超高精度同波束VLBI观测

上海天文台和国家天文台乌鲁木齐天文站的25米射电望远镜于2008年参加了日本月球卫星SELENE的两个子卫星Rstar和Vstar的同波束较差VLBI观测. 当Rstar和Vstar的角距小于0.1°时, 上海-乌鲁木齐基线的X频段的较差相位时延的测量残差为0.15 mm·rms, 比现有VLBI的最小残差改善了1~2个量级. 当Rstar和Vstar的角距小于0.56°时, 也成功得到S频段的较差相位时延, 其测量残差为毫米级. 利用VLBI和多普勒及测距数据, Rstar和Vstar的定轨精度提高到了数米. 超高精度的同波束较差VLBI技术将极大地提高我国的深空探测器的精密测定轨能力, 并将被用于我国首个火星探测器“萤火一号”（YH-1）和俄罗斯的“福布斯”探测器（Phobos-grunt）的精密测定轨中.     

卫星姿态对JASON-2卫星精密定轨影响分析

针对因姿态不稳定性对轨道的影响而难以评估的问题, 详细讨论了卫星的姿态模型, 推导了卫星姿态变化对观测值影响的解析表达式。模拟试验结果表明, 随着姿态不稳定性加剧, 轨道精度随之急剧下降, 另一方面姿态不稳定会随坐标轴不同而对轨道精度产生不同影响。为获得高精度的卫星轨道, 需要卫星姿态稳定性满足一定的要求, 尤其是相位中心偏大的坐标轴方向, 以JASON-2为例, 姿态在轴向变化必须稳定在2°内。基于JASON-2实测姿态计算表明, 该卫星姿态稳定性处在1°左右, 对轨道精度影响为0.036 m。该模拟实验方法为评估姿态稳定性对卫星精密轨道的影响提供了有效的方法。     

区域监测网精密定轨与轨道预报精度分析

我国导航系统采用区域监测网提供轨道预报等导航服务．由于区域网不能覆盖地球中轨轨道（MediumEarthOrbit,MEO）SE星全弧段,并且受卫星相对于监测网几何条件限制,若采用与全球网相同的定轨和预报策略,预报精度难以满足我国导航系统的指标要求．预报精度决定于定轨获得的初轨和力学模型的精度．针对MEO卫星星座的区域监测网定轨预报问题,本文提出两步法策略,即首先解算部分动力学参数和轨道参数,然后强约束这部分动力学参数的估值,重新解算所有动力学参数和轨道,并利用得到的初轨和动力学参数进行轨道预报．利用实测GPS数据的实验表明,采用两步法定轨策略可获得对动力学参数的合理解算结果,并可提高轨道预报精度,预报1天轨道的平均用户距离精度（UserRangeError,URE）优于0．6m．     

星载GPS非差精密定轨精度分析

采用一种变相的“非差”动力定轨方法，建立了相应的数学模型，编制了星栽GPS低轨卫星的定轨软件，并以此分析了定轨过程中各主要误差源对定轨的影响以及所能达到的定轨精度和预报精度。该方法以相位平滑伪距为观测值，通过对同一历元的现测值进行卫星间求差，消除了星栽GPS接收机钟差，模型简单，求解参数少。在只估计初始坐标和速度参数、考虑各种误差的综合影响时，定轨一天的径向精度约为3m，能满足一定的定轨精度要求。     

一种利用星敏感器的卫星自主定轨方法

研究了一种利用星敏感器的自主定轨方法，通过建立较为完善的仿真模型，包括卫星的姿态运动仿真以及对背景恒星的观测仿真等，进行了这种自主定轨方法的模拟计算，证实了该方法的可行性，并对星敏感器在星体坐标系中的取向与自主定轨精度的关系进行了理论和计算分析．     

Precise orbit determination for geostationary satellites with multiple tracking techniques

A new precise orbit determination (POD) strategy based on the combination of satellite laser ranging (SLR) and C-band transfer ranging for geostationary satellites (GEO) is presented.Two approaches to calibrate ranging biases of the C-band ranging system are proposed,namely the two tracking system co-location comparison and the combined POD method,with calibration accuracies estimated to be 0.5 ns and 1 ns respectively.Using data from a C-band tracking network in China,POD experiments indicate that meter-le...     

Precise orbit determination for Jason-1 satellite using on-board GPS data with cm-level accuracy

The joint US/French Jason-1 satellite altimeter mission, launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base on December 7, 2001, continues the time series of centimeter-level ocean topography observations as the follow-on to the highly successful T/P radar altimeter satellite. Orbit error especially the radial orbit error is a major component in the overall budget of all altimeter satellite missions, in order to continue the T/P standard of observations. Jason-1 has a radial orbit error budget requirement of 2.5 cm. In this work, two cycles (December 19, 2002 to January 7, 2003) of the Jason-1 on-board GPS data were processed using the zero-difference (ZD) dynamic precise orbit determination (POD) technique. The resulting Jason-1 orbit accuracy was assessed by comparison with the precise orbit ephemeris (POE) produced by JPL, orbit overlaps and SLR residuals. These evaluations indicate that the RMS radial accuracy is in the range of 1－2 cm.     

Zero-difference and single-difference precise orbit determination for LEO using GPS

Various methods for precise orbit determination (POD) of low earth orbiters (LEO) are briefly intro-duced in this paper. Based on the software named SHORD-Ⅲ developed by our institute,sin-gle-difference (SD) and zero-difference (ZD) dynamic POD based on LEO carrying an on-board GPS receiver is mainly discussed. The approaches are tested using real GRACE data (November 5―25,2002) and independently validated with Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) measurements over the same 21 days. Comparisons with the scientific orbits provided by GFZ indicate that the SD POD RMS accuracy can achieve 5,10 and 6 cm in radial,along and cross the track,and the ZD POD RMS accuracy can achieve 4,8 and 4 cm in radial,along and cross the track. SLR validation shows that SD POD accuracy is better than 8 cm in distance,and ZD POD accuracy is better than 6 cm.     

Mars Express tracking and orbit determination trials with Chinese VLBI network

With strong support from European Space Agency (ESA), Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) organized a tracking and orbit determination trails using Chinese VLBI Network (CVN) to track Mars Express, the first Mars probe launched by ESA. Using a high-resolution VLBI software correlator and Doppler measurement system developed in-house, two sets of tracking data, VLBI and Doppler, were acquired. The trials represent the first successful foray held in China to track a probe about 360 million kilometers away from the Earth. The tracking data are analyzed using a Mars satellite orbit determination software system developed at SHAO. The results show that the accuracy of 5 s integrated three-way-Doppler data is about 0.3 mm/s, or roughly the same accuracy as ESA’s tracking data. Position discrepancies between the Doppler-based orbit solution of 8 h arc-length (about 1 orbital revolution) and ESA’s reconstructed orbit are of the order of several hundred meters. In preparing for the Russia-China co-sponsored Mars exploration mission Phobos-Grunt-YingHuo, simulations were carried out to evaluate the achievable orbital accuracy levels and the contributions of VLBI and Doppler data respectively. Results show that Doppler data provide better orbit accuracy, so that for VLBI to be able to provide kilometer level orbit solutions, the accuracy of VLBI measurement needs to be improved by at least one order of magnitude.     

Improvement of orbit determination for geostationary satellites with VLBI tracking

China’s COMPASS satellite navigation system consists of five or more geostationary (GEO) satellites.The roles of GEO satellites are to improve the regional user’s positioning accuracy and provide the continuous Radio Determination Satellite Service.The motion of GEO satellites relative to a ground tracking station is almost fixed,and regular orbit maneuvers are necessary to maintain the satellites’ allocated positions above the equator.These features present difficulties in precise orbit determination (POD).C-band ranging via onboard transponders and the L-band pseudo-ranging technique have been used in the COMPASS system.This paper introduces VLBI tracking,which has been successfully employed in the Chinese lunar exploration programs Chang’E-1 and Chang’E-2,to the POD of GEO satellites.In contrast to ranging,which measures distances between a GEO satellite and an observer,VLBI is an angular measurement technique that constrains the satellite’s position errors perpendicular to the satellite-to-observer direction.As a demonstration,the Chinese VLBI Network organized a tracking and orbit-determination experiment for a GEO navigation satellite lasting 24 h.This paper uses the VLBI delay and delay-rate data,in combination with C-band ranging data,to determine the GEO satellite’s orbit.The accuracies of the VLBI delay and delay rate data are about 3.6 ns and 0.4 ps/s,respectively.Data analysis shows that the VLBI data are able to calibrate systematic errors of the C-band ranging data,and the combination of the two observations improves orbit prediction accuracy with short-arc data,which is important for orbital recovery after maneuvers of GEO satellites.With the implementation of VLBI2010,it is possible for VLBI to be applied in the COMPASS satellite navigation system.     

Precise orbit determination for GRACE with zero-difference kinematic method

Thanks to the high performance of the spaceborne GPS receiver and the availability of precise IGS orbit and clock products, ze-ro-difference kinematic precise orbit determination (POD) has been turned out to be a new effective method in orbit determination for the LEO satellites. Zero-difference kinematic POD, which is based on the GPS measurements only from the spaceborne GPS receiver, does not depend on the force models and orbit design. From this point of view, kinematic POD is suitable for the Earth observation satellites at very low altitudes, such as CHAMP, GRACE and GOCE, etc. This paper first reviews the basic ze-ro-difference GPS observation model. Then a modified data quality control scheme is put forward. Finally, a block-wise least squares algorithm, which first separates the parameters into several groups and then solves the parameters by elimination and back-substitution, is discussed and proposed for the kinematic orbit determination. With the above algorithms, we developed kinematic POD software to solve the orbit suitable for one-week GRACE observations. Comparisons with the published Rapid Science Orbit (RSO) indicate that, using our approach to determine the orbit, the accuracy in the radial direction can achieve 3―4 cm for GRACE-A, and 3―5 cm for GRACE-B.     

High-precision orbit prediction and error control techniques for COMPASS navigation satellite

A new satellite orbit prediction method based on artificial neural network （ANN） model is proposed to improve the precision of orbit prediction. In order to avoid the difficulty of amending the dynamical model, it is attempted to use ANN model to learn the variation of orbit prediction error, and then the prediction result of ANN model is used to compensate the predicted orbit based on dynamic model to form a final predicted orbit. The experiment results showed that the orbit prediction error based on ANN model was less than that based on dynamical model, and the ent satellites and different improvement effects for differtime were different. The maximum rates of improvement of predicting 8, 15, 30 d were respectively 80 %, 77.77 %, 85 %. The orbit prediction error control technique based on the method of back overlap arc compare was brought forward to avoid the risk that the precision of predicted orbit is even worse after it is compensated by ANN model. The phenomena of failure were basically eliminated based on this technique, and the rate of failure was reduced from 30 % to 5 %. This technique could ensure that the engineering application of ANN model could come true.     

Models and methods for precise determination of ionospheric delay using GPS

The basic principles and methods for precisely determining ionospheric delays in GPS observations are introduced and discussed. Various methods and models for fitting ionospheric delays based on GPS are compared and analyzed, and applications of the methods and models to the research and engineering are summarized.     

Variation of satellite transponder delay

For precise orbit determination of geosynchronous earth orbit(GEO)satellites using transfer ranging observations,it is generally assumed that the variation of the satellite transponder delay is very small and that it can be solved as a constant parameter together with satellite orbit parameters.However,this assumption is too general and it reduces the accuracy of orbit determination for GEO satellites.To study and analyse the impact of the satellite transponder delay on GEO satellites orbit determination,two schemes were proposed.First,the satellite transponder delay was eliminated by forming single-difference observations between two ground stations;second,the satellite transponder delay was described as a constant parameter.The preliminary results demonstrate a difference of about1–2 m between the two schemes when used for precise orbit determination of GEO satellites.By fixing the GEO satellite orbit and other relevant parameters estimated by single-difference model,we inversed the instantaneous transponder delay from non-difference observation.It was found that the satellite transponder delay has a distinct diurnal variation,with an amplitude of 3–4 m.The findings of this paper are helpful in establishing an accurate model of satellite transponder delay and in improving the accuracy of GEO satellites orbit determinations and predictions.