Relative positioning of spacecraft in intense ionospheric conditions by GPS

摘要: Abstract Precise relative positioning by GPS is attempted traditionally fixing the differential carrier phase cycle ambiguities to their integer values. This approach of high interest for formation flying satellites in low Earth orbit since it can potentially deliver positions with (sub-)centimeter accuracy, but at same time complicates navigation system hardware and software. As an alternative fixed solution, different processing approaches making use float be proposed. The most simple these solutions analyzed present study formed differencing ambiguity–absolute obtained filters running independently on board each spacecraft. paper presents a quantitative evaluation accuracy achievable two approaches. Because typical conditions ambiguity resolution should provide markedly higher than solution under study, particularly challenging condition considered. Specifically, scenario where inter-satellite separation hundreds kilometers ionospheric activity severe analyzed. effect un-modeled systematic errors addressed using real-world data from Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission. Results suggest that such have similar decimeter-level accuracy.