An Autonomous GNSS-based Orbit Determination System for Low-Earth Observation Satellites

Pierluigi Silvestrin, Jorge Potti, Juan Carlos Carmona, and Pelayo Bernedo

Abstract:	Earth observation missions which use direct broadcast links for data distribution to local users will benefit from the on-board real-time knowledge of the orbital position, which can be broadcasted for geolocalisation of the observation. The autonomous orbit determina- tion (OD) of the satellite would also reduce the opera- tional costs of the mission through the reduction of the ground stations utilisation. The European Space Agency (ESA) and GMV (Grupo de Mecanica de1 Vuelo) are currently investigating a GPS-based OD System for Earth observation missions, using the MetOp mission as a study case. The MetOp system is a European satellite series for operational me- teorology and climate monitoring from the polar orbit which will complement the NOAA Polar Orbiting En- vironmental Satellite System. It is being built for Eumetsat which will operate it after launch in 2001. This paper reviews and analyses the system require- ments leading to orbit, attitude and datation require- ments and presents some preliminary analyses on the applicability of GNSS to the autonomous orbit deter- mination (OD) of MetOp including investigations of estimation techniques for attenuating the disturbing effect of selective availability and of the need for an on-board orbits dynamics model and its relevance. A GPS-based OD algorithm is defined in detail. Software implementation in a state-of-the-art simulation system allows to derive detailed performance and sensitivity analysis estimates of the resulting system and the hard- ware demands of the proposed algorithms. The proposed GPS-based OD system provides real- time orbit determination to the local users in the order of 15 to 30 m accuracy which is not only far better than what provided by conventional methods but also im- plies a significant decrease in the operations for the lo- cal users.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 8th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1995) September 12 - 15, 1995 Palm Springs, CA
Pages:	173 - 182
Cite this article:	Silvestrin, Pierluigi, Potti, Jorge, Carmona, Juan Carlos, Bernedo, Pelayo, "An Autonomous GNSS-based Orbit Determination System for Low-Earth Observation Satellites," Proceedings of the 8th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1995), Palm Springs, CA, September 1995, pp. 173-182.
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