First Autonomous Rendezvous using Relative GPS Navigation by ETS-VII

Isao Kawano Masaaki Mokuno Toru Kasai Takashi Suzuki

Abstract:	Engineering Test Satellite-VII (ETS-VII) successfully performed the first autonomous Rendezvous Docking (RVD) flight using the relative GPS (RGPS) navigation in the world. ETS-VII is a test satellite to perform in-orbit demonstration of the autonomous rendezvous docking technology. The RGPS navigation which is a sort of differential GPS (DGPS), is used as a primary means in a relative approach phase (farther than 500m from target satellite). In-orbit performance of the ETS-VII RGPS system was evaluated during mating flights and rendezvous flights. This paper presents the evaluations of in-orbit performance of the RGPS during the first autonomous RVD experiment.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1999) September 14 - 17, 1999 Nashville, TN
Pages:	393 - 410
Cite this article:	Updated citation: Published in NAVIGATION: Journal of the Institute of Navigation
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