Aircraft Navigation Using Global Positioning System Improved with Geostationary Satellites

L. Caporicci, S. Di Girolamo, F. Graziani

Abstract:	The motivation for the use of satellite systems as an aid for navigation lies in the need to assure a reliable suunort to the naviaation of civil aircrafts, taking into consideration the recently up-dated flight safety rules and standards a% well as the foreseen traffic increase in selected areas, such as the Mediterra- nean area. The availability of the services offered by the United States "Global Positioning System" (GPS/NAVSTAR), a satellite navigation system which is now approaching completion, represents the most credible aid to the navigation of civil aircraft for the next twenty years. As a consequence, the study of the obtainable coverage and relevant navigation precision as well as the study of additional elements (satellites or pseudo-satellites) to the GPS/NAVSTAR in order to improve the aualitv of the services. seems to be of great interest-for obtaining hii gher safety standards for the civil air traffic. Recent studies on the constellation and orbits of the GPSINAVSTAR satellites have confirmed that, also in the complete configuration (21 satellites), the GPSjNAVSTAR system does not assure a "NON-STOP11 service for-navigation in the Mediterranean area. In order to provide a valid aid to the air traffic, the GPSINAVSTAR should be integrated with additional elements. The addition to the GPS/NAVSTAR constellation of one or more small geostationary satellites or piggyback payloads in already planned GE0 satellites seems a convenient solution. Starting from the above considerations, the present study analyses the real performances obtainable in the Mediterranean area, by using the basic GPS/NAVSTAR constellation, and outlines the additional elements capable to increase the overall performances. The integrated sblutions considered are based on the use of geostationary satellites and the study shows that, with this approach, it is DOS-sible to provide.a navigation-service which will result adequate for the safety standards relevant to the traffic volume of the coming years.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 3rd International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1990) September 19 - 21, 1990 The Broadmoor Hotel Colorado Spring, CO
Pages:	217 - 224
Cite this article:	Caporicci, L., Di Girolamo, S., Graziani, F., "Aircraft Navigation Using Global Positioning System Improved with Geostationary Satellites," Proceedings of the 3rd International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 1990), Colorado Spring, CO, September 1990, pp. 217-224.
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