A History of the Contributions of the Naval Surface Warfare Center to the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS)

B. Larry Miller, Bruce R. Hermann, Everett R. Swift, Robert W. Hill, Alan G. Evans, James P. Cunningham and Jeffrey N. Blanton

Abstract:	This article provides a historical perspective of projects at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), which contributed directly and indirectly to the development of GPS. Fundamental to these contributions has been the continuing effort to precisely estimate satellite orbit and clock parameters. This work started with the first artificial satellites and continues today. Early work done on the Navy Transit and Timation navigation satellite programs led into the developing GPS program. For the first 7 years of GPS operation, NSWCDD generated long-term satellite orbit predictions for the Control Segment. These orbit predictions were updated by the Air Force in near real-time using station tracking data to derive the satellite broadcast messages that enabled real-time user navigation. Since 1985 NSWCDD-developed techniques and software have been used to estimate highly precise GPS orbit and clock parameters for use in geodetic positioning and other military applications. Beginning in 1994, NSWCDD’s determination of the operational tracking site antenna locations has become the accepted realization of the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS 84) reference frame in use by GPS. Development of positioning techniques and three generations of GPS receivers, as well as numerous geodetic applications of GPS both supported and were outgrowths of the precise ephemeris work. NSWCDD has supported the incorporation of GPS into satellites, guided missiles, projectiles, and other unmanned vehicles. Precise positioning capabilities have been developed and demonstrated for both test and evaluation (T&E) as well as operational applications. This article reviews all of these developments.
Published in:	Proceedings of the IAIN World Congress and the 56th Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (2000) June 26 - 28, 2000 The Catamaran Resort Hotel San Diego, CA
Pages:	510 - 519
Cite this article:	Miller, B. Larry, Hermann, Bruce R., Swift, Everett R., Hill, Robert W., Evans, Alan G., Cunningham, James P., Blanton, Jeffrey N., "A History of the Contributions of the Naval Surface Warfare Center to the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS)," Proceedings of the IAIN World Congress and the 56th Annual Meeting of The Institute of Navigation (2000), San Diego, CA, June 2000, pp. 510-519.
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