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At least 379 records · Page 21

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NASA NTRS1993

Improved treatment of GPS force parameters in precise orbit determination applications

Data collected from the International Global Positioning System (GPS) Service (IGS) have been processed at JPL to determine presise orbits for the satellites of the GPS. We have tested a filtering technique to improve modeling of GPS solar radiation pressure force parameters. The new approach improves orbit quality for eclipsing satellites by a factor of two, with typical results in the 25 - 50 cm range.

Vigue, Yvonne↗

NASA NTRS1993

Higher-order ionospheric effects on the GPS observables and means of modeling them

Based on relaistic modeling of the electron density of the ionosphere and using a dipole moment approximation for the earth magnetic field, we are able to estimate the effect of the ionosphere on the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) signal for a ground user. The lowest-order (1/f(exp 2)) effect, which is of the order of .1 - 30 meters of zenith group delay, is subtracted out by forming a linear combination of the dual frequencies of the GPS signal. One is left with second- (1/f(exp 3)) and third-order (1/f(exp 4)) effects which are estimated typically to be approximately 0 - 2 cm, and approximately 0 - 2 mm at zenith respectively, depending on the time of day, time of year, the solar cycle and the relative geometry of the magnetic field and the line of sight. Given the total electron content along a line of sight, we derive an approximation to the second-order term which is accurate to approximately 90% within the magnetic dipole moment model; this approximation can be used to reduce the second-order term to the millimeter level, thus potentially improving precise positioning in space and on the ground. The induced group delay, or phase advance, due to second- and third-order effects are examined for two ground receivers located at equatorial and mid-latitude regions tracking several GPS satellites.

Bassiri, Sassan↗

NASA NTRS1996

GPS Attitude Determination Using Deployable-Mounted Antennas

The primary objective of this investigation is to develop a method to solve for spacecraft attitude in the presence of potential incomplete antenna deployment. Most research on the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) in attitude determination has assumed that the antenna baselines are known to less than 5 centimeters, or one quarter of the GPS signal wavelength. However, if the GPS antennas are mounted on a deployable fixture such as a solar panel, the actual antenna positions will not necessarily be within 5 cm of nominal. Incomplete antenna deployment could cause the baselines to be grossly in error, perhaps by as much as a meter. Overcoming this large uncertainty in order to accurately determine attitude is the focus of this study. To this end, a two-step solution method is proposed. The first step uses a least-squares estimate of the baselines to geometrically calculate the deployment angle errors of the solar panels. For the spacecraft under investigation, the first step determines the baselines to 3-4 cm with 4-8 minutes of data. A Kalman filter is then used to complete the attitude determination process, resulting in typical attitude errors of 0.50.

Osborne, Michael L.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Direct-Y: Fast Acquisition of the GPS PPS Signal

The NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) provides positioning and time information to military users via the Precise Positioning Service (PPS) which typically allows users a significant margin of precision over the commercially available Standard Positioning Service (SPS), Military sets that rely on first acquiring the SPS Coarse Acquisition (C/A) code, read from the data message the handover word (HOW) that provides the time-of-signal transmission needed to acquire and lock onto the PPS Y-code. Under extreme battlefield conditions, the use of GPS would be denied to the warfighter who cannot pick up the un-encrypted C/A code. Studies are underway at the GPS Joint Program Office (JPO) at the Space and Missile Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base that are aimed at developing the capability to directly acquire Y-code without first acquiring C/A code. This paper briefly outlines efforts to develop 'direct-Y' acquisition, and various approaches to solving this problem. The potential ramifications of direct-Y to military users are also discussed.

Namoos, Omar M.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Autonomous Navigation of the SSTI/Lewis Spacecraft Using the Global Positioning System (GPS)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Division (FDD) is pursuing the application of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to improve the accuracy and economy of spacecraft navigation. High-accuracy autonomous navigation algorithms are being flight qualified in conjunction with GSFC's GPS Attitude Determination Flyer (GADFLY) experiment on the Small Satellite Technology Initiative (SSTI) Lewis spacecraft, which is scheduled for launch in 1997. Preflight performance assessments indicate that these algorithms can provide a real-time total position accuracy of better than 10 meters (1 sigma) and velocity accuracy of better than 0.01 meter per second (1 sigma), with selective availability at typical levels. This accuracy is projected to improve to the 2-meter level if corrections to be provided by the GPS Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) are included.

Hart, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Performance Assessment of Two GPS Receivers on Space Shuttle

Space Shuttle STS-69 was launched on September 7, 1995, carrying the Wake Shield Facility (WSF-02) among its payloads. The mission included two GPS receivers: a Collins 3M receiver onboard the Endeavour and an Osborne flight TurboRogue, known as the TurboStar, onboard the WSF-02. Two of the WSF-02 GPS Experiment objectives were to: (1) assess the ability to use GPS in a relative satellite positioning mode using the receivers on Endeavour and WSF-02; and (2) assess the performance of the receivers to support high precision orbit determination at the 400 km altitude. Three ground tests of the receivers were conducted in order to characterize the respective receivers. The analysis of the tests utilized the Double Differencing technique. A similar test in orbit was conducted during STS-69 while the WSF-02 was held by the Endeavour robot arm for a one hour period. In these tests, biases were observed in the double difference pseudorange measurements, implying that biases up to 140 m exist which do not cancel in double differencing. These biases appear to exist in the Collins receiver, but their effect can be mitigated by including measurement bias parameters to accommodate them in an estimation process. An additional test was conducted in which the orbit of the combined Endeavour/WSF-02 was determined independently with each receiver. These one hour arcs were based on forming double differences with 13 TurboRogue receivers in the global IGS network and estimating pseudorange biases for the Collins. Various analyses suggest the TurboStar overall orbit accuracy is about one to two meters for this period, based on double differenced phase residuals of 34 cm. These residuals indicate the level of unmodeled forces on Endeavour produced by gravitational and nongravitational effects. The rms differences between the two independently determined orbits are better than 10 meters, thereby demonstrating the accuracy of the Collins-determined orbit at this level as well as the accuracy of the relative positioning using these two receivers.

Schroeder, Christine A.↗

NASA NTRS1997

High accuracy autonomous navigation using the global positioning system (GPS)

The application of global positioning system (GPS) technology to the improvement of the accuracy and economy of spacecraft navigation, is reported. High-accuracy autonomous navigation algorithms are currently being qualified in conjunction with the GPS attitude determination flyer (GADFLY) experiment for the small satellite technology initiative Lewis spacecraft. Preflight performance assessments indicated that these algorithms are able to provide a real time total position accuracy of better than 10 m and a velocity accuracy of better than 0.01 m/s, with selective availability at typical levels. It is expected that the position accuracy will be increased to 2 m if corrections are provided by the GPS wide area augmentation system.

Truong, Son H.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Analysis of Spaceborne GPS Systems

A reasonable amount of literature can be found on the general topic of GPS receiving antennas, but very little has been published on spaceborne GPS receiving antennas. This very new topic seems to be so far more of interest for the industrial world than for the academic community. For satellite applications, microstrip antennas are usually preferred over other types of antennas mainly because of their non-electrical characteristics, such as small size, relatively lightweight, shape, possibility of integration with microwave integrated circuits, and relatively low costs. Careful design of patch antennas could meet all the requirements (electrical and non-electrical) of GPS receiving antenna to be mounted on a tethered satellite.

Cosmo, Mario L.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Precise Point Positioning for the Efficient and Robust Analysis of GPS Data From Large Networks

Networks of dozens to hundreds of permanently operating precision Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers are emerging at spatial scales that range from 10(exp 0) to 10(exp 3) km. To keep the computational burden associated with the analysis of such data economically feasible, one approach is to first determine precise GPS satellite positions and clock corrections from a globally distributed network of GPS receivers. Then, data from the local network are analyzed by estimating receiver specific parameters with receiver-specific data; satellite parameters are held fixed at their values determined in the global solution. This "precise point positioning" allows analysis of data from hundreds to thousands of sites every day with 40 Mflop computers, with results comparable in quality to the simultaneous analysis of all data. The reference frames for the global and network solutions can be free of distortion imposed by erroneous fiducial constraints on any sites.

Zumberge, J. F.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Precise Point Positioning for the Efficient and Robust Analysis of GPS Data from Large Networks

Networks of dozens to hundreds of permanently operating precision Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers are emerging at spatial scales that range from 10(exp 0) to 10(exp 3) km. To keep the computational burden associated with the analysis of such data economically feasible, one approach is to first determine precise GPS satellite positions and clock corrections from a globally distributed network of GPS receivers. Their, data from the local network are analyzed by estimating receiver- specific parameters with receiver-specific data satellite parameters are held fixed at their values determined in the global solution. This "precise point positioning" allows analysis of data from hundreds to thousands of sites every (lay with 40-Mflop computers, with results comparable in quality to the simultaneous analysis of all data. The reference frames for the global and network solutions can be free of distortion imposed by erroneous fiducial constraints on any sites.

Zumberge, J. F.↗

NASA NTRS1998

The Application of Reflected GPS Signals to Ocean Remote Sensing

The L-band broadcast signal from the Global Positioning System (GPS) which has reflected off of the sea surface is under study for use as a ocean, coastal and wetlands remote sensing tool. The reflected signal from a given GPS satellite is cross-correlated with the pseudorandom noise code uniquely identifying that satellite. The shape of this cross-correlation, ordinarily a very sharp triangle when tracking a direct line of sight signal, becomes wider and smoother as the mean square slope of the reflecting surface increases. It is proposed that the surface wind speed can be determined by matching the recorded shape of this cross-correlation to that predicted by theoretical models as a function of wind speed and direction. The significance of these effects increases with altitude of the receiver. Experimental data have been collected using a specially modified GPS receiver on aircraft and on a balloon at altitudes of up to 25 km. These data compare favorably with predictions of analytical models and demonstrate the dependence of the waveform shape on surface wind speed and receiver altitude. The advantages that this measurement technique has over conventional scatterometers is the small size, low cost and simplicity of the receiver hardware, no requirement for a transmitter, and the ability to simultaneously collect data from usually 10 or more points (from a low earth orbiting satellite). This number could if the Russian GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites are also considered as additional sources of radiation. Furthermore, the bistatic scattering geometry is complementary to the backscatter used by conventional scatterometers.

Garrison, James L.↗

NASA NTRS2000

GPS Sounding Rocket Development at NASA with Simultaneous Multi-Payload Tracking Application

An inverse differential GPS system has been developed for Sounding Rocket use which includes the flight unit and a ground station capable of extracting GPS data from sounding rocket telemetry, performing a real time differential solution and graphically displaying the rocket's path relative to a predicted trajectory plot. Accuracy has been proven to within less than 10 meters. Postprocessing has increased the precision to within 10 - 20 centimeters. The system has been successfully flown several times and delivered to the Sounding Program Office for routine field use. In addition to providing position, velocity and time GPS data has been used on sounding rockets for vehicle performance analysis, effecting a one hundred fold improvement in data time tagging, and steering an optical tracking device to intercept payloads launched from over the horizon. Precise velocity separation information and timing has been provided to multiple payload systems. Future plans include its use for Range Safety and enabling of interferometric techniques. The technology and software developed also has potential application to small satellite navigation and formation flying.

Bull, Barton↗

NASA NTRS2000

Autonomous Relative Navigation for Formation-Flying Satellites Using GPS

The Goddard Space Flight Center is currently developing advanced spacecraft systems to provide autonomous navigation and control of formation flyers. This paper discusses autonomous relative navigation performance for a formation of four eccentric, medium-altitude Earth-orbiting satellites using Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Positioning Service (SPS) and "GPS-like " intersatellite measurements. The performance of several candidate relative navigation approaches is evaluated. These analyses indicate that an autonomous relative navigation position accuracy of 1meter root-mean-square can be achieved by differencing high-accuracy filtered solutions if only measurements from common GPS space vehicles are used in the independently estimated solutions.

Gramling, Cheryl↗

NASA NTRS2000

One Century of Tectonic Deformation Along the Sumatran Fault from Triangulation and GPS Surveys

An analysis combining historical triangulation and recent Global Positioning System (GPS) survey measurements in West and North Sumatra, Indonesia, reveals a detailed slip history along the central part of the Sumatran Fault. The arc-parallel components of the combined velocity field are consistent with slip rates inferred from GPS data, ranging from 23 to 24 mm/yr. Between 1.0 S and 1.3 N the Sumatran Fault appears to be characterized by deep locking depths, on the order of 20 km, and the occurrence of large (M (sub w) approximately 7) earthquakes. The long-term (1883-1993) strains show simple right-lateral shear, with rates similar to GPS-measured, 1989-1993 strain rates. Coseismic deformation due to the 1892 Tapanuli and 1926 Padang Panjang earthquakes, estimated from triangulation measurements taken before and after the events, indicate that the main shocks were significantly larger than previously reported. The 1892 earthquake had a likely magnitude of M (sub w) approximately equal to 7.6, while the 1926 events appear to be comparable in size to the subsequent (M approximately 7) 1943 events, and an order of magnitude higher than previously reported.

Prawirodirdjo, L.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Highlights of Recent Developments in the International GPS Service and Perspectives for Future Directions

In December 1998, the IGS Governing Board officially changed the name of this IAG service from 'International GPS Service for Geodynamics to simply the 'International GPS Service'. This change of name reflects the fact that today the IGS supports numerous scientific projects outside the traditional geodetic and geodynamic disciplines. A number of IGS projects and working groups have been established, each concentrating on a particular science application, such as the ionosphere, atmosphere, reference frame, precise time transfer, etc. These activities are enabled and simulated by the IGS and directly contribute to the continuing development of the service. The IGS is currently poised to respond to evolving user requirements that focus on timeliness and reliability of data and products, particularly in support of a slate of Low Earth Orbiter missions over the next decade. Perspectives on the future of the IGS will be developed based on current directions as well as anticipated external influences, such as GPS satellite modernization, GLONASS, availability of global communications, and plans for the European GALILEO (Global Navigation Satellite System - GNSS). We will address development of user friendly interfaces and IGS product tutorials.

Neilan, R.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Space Station GPS Multipath Analysis and Validation

To investigate the multipath effects on the International Space Station (ISS) Global Positioning System (GPS) measurement accuracy, experimental and computational investigations were performed to estimate the carrier phase errors due to multipath. A new modeling approach is used to reduce the required computing time by separating the dynamic structure elements from the static structure elements in the multipath computations. This study confirmed that the multipath is a major error source to the ISS GPS performance and can possibly degrade the attitude determination solution. It is demonstrated that the GPS antenna carrier phase errors due to multipath can be analyzed using the electromagnetic modeling technique such as the Uniform Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (UTD).

Hwu, Shian U.↗

NASA NTRS2000

A LEO Satellite Navigation Algorithm Based on GPS and Magnetometer Data

The Global Positioning System (GPS) has become a standard method for low cost onboard satellite orbit determination. The use of a GPS receiver as an attitude and rate sensor has also been developed in the recent past. Additionally, focus has been given to attitude and orbit estimation using the magnetometer, a low cost, reliable sensor. Combining measurements from both GPS and a magnetometer can provide a robust navigation system that takes advantage of the estimation qualities of both measurements. Ultimately a low cost, accurate navigation system can result, potentially eliminating the need for more costly sensors, including gyroscopes.

Deutschmann, Julie↗

NASA NTRS2001

A Post-Flight Comparison Between GPS Signal Generator and On-Orbit Testing Results from the STS-101 and STS-106 SOAR Shuttle Flight Experiment

The use of a GPS Signal Generator (GPSSG) prior to launch for verification of a GPS subsystem and GN&C system on a spacecraft is becoming a very common practice. The level of confidence in the verification created by running a receiver with a GPSSG can greatly impact both schedule and cost of spacecraft development. This paper addresses the comparison of the Space Shuttle STS-101 and STS-106 Space Integrated GPS/INS (SIGI) Orbital Attitude Readiness (SOAR) flight experiments on-orbit performance with the performance from the same receiver on a Global Simulation Systems (GSS) GPSSG. The SOAR flight experiment was designed to demonstrate on-orbit performance of the International Space Station Force-19 GPS receiver. This paper discusses the process involved in getting the post-flight Best Estimate of Trajectory and Best Estimate of Attitude into the GPSSG such that the Force-19 receiver will experience the same trajectory and environmental conditions as observed during the SOAR flight experiment. Results of the comparison conclude with recommendations of how better to construct and interpret results from receiver tests using a GSS GPSSG.

Simpson, James↗