REAL-TIME MISSILE TRACKING WITH GPS

Lawrence L. Wells

Peer Reviewed

Abstract:	This paper describes a system for real-time tracking of long-range missiles based on use of the Global Positioning System (GPS). When GPS is fully operational, an in-place reference system will exist for use in tracking moving vehicles such a missiles, aircraft, and ground vehicles. In order to obtain the maximum benefit of this capability, an economical means of tracking the test vehicles is necessary. This is particularly true in tracking expendable test vehicles such as missiles. The techniques presented in this paper represent an approach to economical tracking of expendable test missiles. In this concept, the tracked missile receives the GPS signals, translates a composite signal spectrum to a new S-band frequency, and then transmits the composite S-band spectrum to a ground-station receiver. The ground station receives and processes the translated GPS signals into normal pseudorange and range-rate measurements of the missile. A Kalman filter is used to obtain a position and velocity solution. In addition to its capability for standalone performance, the described system could be incorporated into existing tracking systems, resulting in improved tracking accuracy.
Published in:	NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Volume 28, Number 3
Pages:	224 - 230
Cite this article:	Wells, Lawrence L., "REAL-TIME MISSILE TRACKING WITH GPS", NAVIGATION: Journal of The Institute of Navigation, Vol. 28, No. 3, Fall 1981, pp. 224-230.
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