GPS Signals in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit: “Falcon Gold” Data Processing

Thomas D. Powell, Philip D. Martzen, Steven B. Sedlacek, Chia-Chun Chao, Randy Silva, Alison Brown, Gabriele Belle

Abstract:	The US Air Force Academy sponsored experiment ”Fal-con Gold” was flown in November 1997 to measure GPS signals at high orbital altitudes using the NAVSYS TID-GET sensor. This sensor collects and digitizes short in-tervals of RF energy which can be processed to extract any GPS signals present in the data. In cooperation with NAVSYS and US Air Force Academy personnel, analysts at The Aerospace Corporation obtained and processed the Falcon Gold spacecraft data. The methods and results the data processing are presented here. The analysis has yielded positive confirmation of GPS signal detection altitudes approaching geosynchronous orbit, and provides valuable information for future geosynchronous GPS users.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 1999 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation January 25 - 27, 1999 Catamaran Resort Hotel San Diego, CA
Pages:	575 - 585
Cite this article:	Powell, Thomas D., Martzen, Philip D., Sedlacek, Steven B., Chao, Chia-Chun, Silva, Randy, Brown, Alison, Belle, Gabriele, "GPS Signals in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit: “Falcon Gold” Data Processing," Proceedings of the 1999 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation, San Diego, CA, January 1999, pp. 575-585.
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