Precise Orbit Determination for LEO Spacecraft using GNSS Tracking Data from Multiple Antennas

D. Kuang, W. Bertiger, S. Desai, B. Haines

Abstract:	To support various applications, certain Earthorbiting spacecraft (e.g., SRTM, COSMIC) use multiple Global Navigation and Satellite System (GNSS) antennas to provide tracking data for precise orbit determination (POD). POD using GNSS tracking data from multiple antennas poses some special technical issues compared to the typical single-antenna approach. In this paper, we investigate some of these issues using both real and simulated data. Recommendations are provided for POD with multiple GNSS antennas and for antenna configuration design. The observability of satellite position with multiple-antenna data is compared against the single-antenna case. The impact of differential clock (line biases) and line-of-sight (up, alongtrack, and cross-track) on kinematic and reduceddynamic POD is evaluated. The accuracy of monitoring the stability of the spacecraft structure by simultaneously performing POD of the spacecraft and relative positioning of the multiple antennas is also investigated.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 23rd International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2010) September 21 - 24, 2010 Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon Portland, OR
Pages:	2778 - 2788
Cite this article:	Kuang, D., Bertiger, W., Desai, S., Haines, B., "Precise Orbit Determination for LEO Spacecraft using GNSS Tracking Data from Multiple Antennas," Proceedings of the 23rd International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GNSS 2010), Portland, OR, September 2010, pp. 2778-2788.
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