Autonomous Low Cost Regional Navigation Satellite Systems Based on Geosynchronous Eccentric and Inclined Orbits

Miguel. M. Romay Merino, Maria Dolores Lainez Samper, Angel J. Gavin Alarcon, Alfonso Guerra Quijada

Abstract:	Regional Satellite Navigation Systems are designed to optimise performances over the area of interest while trying to minimise Space and Ground Segment costs. This can be achieved by using geosynchronous orbits and optimising the constellation parameters (inclination, eccentricity, number of planes, phasing between planes and satellites within each plane) to provide the required performances over the required coverage area. Acceptable performances (comparable to those provided by GPS today or Galileo in the future) can be obtained with a reduced number of satellites (between 5 and 10) and a reduced Ground Segment, as there is no need to deploy Ground Stations worldwide but only over the coverage and neighbour areas. These low cost systems are in principle not aiming at providing integrity or safety critical services (although this may be contemplated). If those services are required they will be provided by complementing these systems by using Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS), like EGNOS or WAAS. International cooperation will be promoted by transmitting the navigation signals in the same frequencies and with the same characteristics as current systems. The combination of several of these low cost regional systems may lead to significant improvement of the performance over relatively large areas. This paper will present different GNSS architectures for different areas of the World; the performances that can be achieved will also be presented as well as some considerations about the feasibility of such systems. The results of the analysis are showing that it is possible to provide high navigation performances with a reduced number of satellites. Theoretically with only four new satellites it may be possible to cover small and medium size regions. Regional Systems in geosynchronous orbits will provide additional means for improving the performances of current systems. In particular the orbit determination and time synchronisation processes can be significantly improved, also the integrity concepts can be improved and simplified.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 20th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2007) September 25 - 28, 2007 Fort Worth Convention Center Fort Worth, TX
Pages:	3025 - 3036
Cite this article:	Merino, Miguel. M. Romay, Samper, Maria Dolores Lainez, Alarcon, Angel J. Gavin, Quijada, Alfonso Guerra, "Autonomous Low Cost Regional Navigation Satellite Systems Based on Geosynchronous Eccentric and Inclined Orbits," Proceedings of the 20th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2007), Fort Worth, TX, September 2007, pp. 3025-3036.
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