Precise Spacecraft Relative Navigation Using Kinematic Inter-Spacecraft State Estimates

T. Ebinumay, O. Montenbruckz, and E. G. Lightseyy

Abstract:	A prototype implementation of a spaceborne relative navigation sensor based on a pair of GPS Orion 12-channel L1 receivers is presented. It employs two individual receivers exchanging their raw measurements via a dedicated serial data link. Besides computing its own navigation solution, each receiver processes single difference measurements to obtain the relative state. The prototype receivers have been qualified with hardware-in-the-loop tests using a GPS signal simulator. They provide relative navigation solution accuracies of 0.5m and 0.5 cm/s for position and velocity, respectively. While the purely kinematic relative navigation meets the accuracy requirements of many applications in the area of spacecraft rendezvous and formation flying, a highly simplified dynamic filter can be applied for further reduction of residual errors left in the kinematic relative navigation solutions and for propagation across short GPS outages. The potential of a Hill’s equations model and a J2 propagator for this purpose are discussed.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 15th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2002) September 24 - 27, 2002 Oregon Convention Center Portland, OR
Pages:	2038 - 2046
Cite this article:	Ebinumay, T., Montenbruckz, O., Lightseyy, E. G., "Precise Spacecraft Relative Navigation Using Kinematic Inter-Spacecraft State Estimates," Proceedings of the 15th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2002), Portland, OR, September 2002, pp. 2038-2046.
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