A Rotation Method for Attitude Determination via GPS Carrier Phases

L-S. Wang, H.-M. Peng and F.-R. Chang

Abstract:	In this paper, we propose a baseline rotation method for determining an attitude vector via GPS carrier phase measurements. The rotation method is a space difference technique for resolving GPS carrier phase cycle ambiguity. To determine a two-axis attitude vector, we need to rotate the baseline vector no more than four times. To verify our algorithms, simulations and experiments have been conducted. In the simulations, we added white noise in phase measurements. Under different conditions, we could get an experimental configuration based the simulations. We also set up a rotation platform that could rotate around its baseline vector in two directions. These two rotation axes were approximately orthogonal to each other, and one axis was approximately orthogonal to the baseline vector. In this configuration, we needed three rotations to determine an unknown attitude vector. At the two ends of the baseline, two antennas were installed to receive GPS carrier phases. Magnavox MX4200 receivers were used to collect data for our algorithm. In our experiments, the standard deviations in the azimuth and elevation angles are 1.11 degrees and 1.38 degrees, respeetively. In some cases, such as in artillery rocket launchers, the rotational mechanisms are the same as that in our platform. Hence, the proposed rotation method could be adopted to determine the attitude vector of a launcher.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 1998 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation January 21 - 23, 1998 Westin Long Beach Hotel Long Beach, CA
Pages:	539 - 454
Cite this article:	Wang, L-S., Peng, H.-M., Chang, F.-R., "A Rotation Method for Attitude Determination via GPS Carrier Phases," Proceedings of the 1998 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation, Long Beach, CA, January 1998, pp. 539-454.
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