Important Aspects of Near-Earth Satellite Orbit Determination Using Tracking Data From GPS

Pothai A.M. Abusali, Bob E. Schutz, and Byron D. Tapley

Abstract:	Satellite missions for Earth science applications have var- ious orbit accuracy requirements, varying from a few cen- timeters for some applications to kilometer-level for others. The data type and the tracking network are among the major factors which determine the level of accuracy achievable in a satellite orbit determination scheme. Tracking of near-Earth satellites using the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System satellites has been demon- strated on TOPEX/POSEIDON, which has a radial orbit accuracy requirement of 13 cm (rms) to support oceano- graphic applications, to produce a user satellite orbit with accuracies comparable to or exceeding other traditional precision tracking systems such as satellite laser ranging (SLR). The TGPEX/PGSElDGN GPS receiver is a dual frequency P-code receiver and thus provides an opportu- nity to evaluate orbit accuracies achievable under differ- ent conditions using dual and single frequency GPS data. Experiments using the TOPEX/PGSEIDGN data in sin- gle and dual frequency modes, as well as various approaches including the navigation solution have been investigated, including the effects of selective availability (SA) on each approach.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 6th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1993) September 22 - 24, 1993 Salt Palace Convention Center Salt Lake City, UT
Pages:	335 - 344
Cite this article:	Abusali, Pothai A.M., Schutz, Bob E., Tapley, Byron D., "Important Aspects of Near-Earth Satellite Orbit Determination Using Tracking Data From GPS," Proceedings of the 6th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1993), Salt Lake City, UT, September 1993, pp. 335-344.
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