GRACE-FO Antenna Phase Center Modeling and Precise Orbit Determination with Single Receiver Ambiguity Resolution
Precise knowledge of the phase center location of the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna is a prerequisite for precise orbit determination (POD) of the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite. The phase center offset (PCO) and phase center variation (PCV) values for the LEO antenna obtained f...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/21/4204 |
| _version_ | 1797511903368445952 |
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| author | Biao Jin Yuqiang Li Kecai Jiang Zhulian Li Shanshan Chen |
| author_facet | Biao Jin Yuqiang Li Kecai Jiang Zhulian Li Shanshan Chen |
| author_sort | Biao Jin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Precise knowledge of the phase center location of the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna is a prerequisite for precise orbit determination (POD) of the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite. The phase center offset (PCO) and phase center variation (PCV) values for the LEO antenna obtained from ground calibration cannot reflect the error sources encountered in the actual spacecraft environment. PCV corrections are estimated by ionosphere free (IF) carrier phase post-fit residuals of reduced dynamic orbit determination. Ambiguity resolution (AR) plays a crucial role in achieving the best orbit accuracy. The single receiver AR concept is realized using wide-lane (WL) and narrow-lane (NL) bias products. Single difference (SD) observations between satellites are applied to remove the receiver dependent phase bias. SD AR and traditional double difference (DD) AR methods are applied to fix the ambiguities. The recovered SD and DD IF ambiguities are taken as pseudo-observations to constrain the undifferenced IF ambiguity parameters in the POD process. The LEO orbits based on float ambiguity (FA), SD, AR, and DD AR are investigated. One year’s data collected by the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission and GPS precise products provided by the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) were analyzed. Precise orbit generated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), independent satellite laser ranging (SLR), and K-band ranging (KBR) measurements were utilized to assess the orbit accuracy. More than 98% of SD WL and 95% of SD NL ambiguities are fixed, which confirms the good quality of the bias products and correctness of the SD AR method. With PCV corrections, the average phase residuals of DD and SD AR solutions are 0.13 and 0.41 mm, which indicates improved consistency between applied models and observations. Compared with JPL’s orbit, the SD AR orbits achieve the accuracy of 6.0, 6.2, and 5.1 mm in along-track, cross-track, and radial directions. The SD AR solutions show an average improvement of 18.3% related to the FA orbits while 6.3% is gained by the DD AR approach. The root mean squares (RMSs) of SLR residuals for FA, DD AR, and SD AR solutions are 11.5, 10.2, and 9.6 mm, which validate the positive effect of AR on POD. Standard deviation (STD) of KBR residuals for SD AR orbits is 1.8 mm while 0.9 mm is achieved by the DD AR method. The explanation is that the phase bias products used for SD AR are not free of errors and the errors may degrade the KBR validation. In-flight PCV calibration and ambiguity resolution improve the LEO orbit accuracy effectively. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:53:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1342f6cfd72f46519747fde5e2af08f9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:53:34Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-1342f6cfd72f46519747fde5e2af08f92023-11-22T21:29:59ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922021-10-011321420410.3390/rs13214204GRACE-FO Antenna Phase Center Modeling and Precise Orbit Determination with Single Receiver Ambiguity ResolutionBiao Jin0Yuqiang Li1Kecai Jiang2Zhulian Li3Shanshan Chen4Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650216, ChinaYunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650216, ChinaGNSS Research Center, Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, ChinaYunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650216, ChinaSpace Star Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 100194, ChinaPrecise knowledge of the phase center location of the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna is a prerequisite for precise orbit determination (POD) of the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite. The phase center offset (PCO) and phase center variation (PCV) values for the LEO antenna obtained from ground calibration cannot reflect the error sources encountered in the actual spacecraft environment. PCV corrections are estimated by ionosphere free (IF) carrier phase post-fit residuals of reduced dynamic orbit determination. Ambiguity resolution (AR) plays a crucial role in achieving the best orbit accuracy. The single receiver AR concept is realized using wide-lane (WL) and narrow-lane (NL) bias products. Single difference (SD) observations between satellites are applied to remove the receiver dependent phase bias. SD AR and traditional double difference (DD) AR methods are applied to fix the ambiguities. The recovered SD and DD IF ambiguities are taken as pseudo-observations to constrain the undifferenced IF ambiguity parameters in the POD process. The LEO orbits based on float ambiguity (FA), SD, AR, and DD AR are investigated. One year’s data collected by the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission and GPS precise products provided by the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) were analyzed. Precise orbit generated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), independent satellite laser ranging (SLR), and K-band ranging (KBR) measurements were utilized to assess the orbit accuracy. More than 98% of SD WL and 95% of SD NL ambiguities are fixed, which confirms the good quality of the bias products and correctness of the SD AR method. With PCV corrections, the average phase residuals of DD and SD AR solutions are 0.13 and 0.41 mm, which indicates improved consistency between applied models and observations. Compared with JPL’s orbit, the SD AR orbits achieve the accuracy of 6.0, 6.2, and 5.1 mm in along-track, cross-track, and radial directions. The SD AR solutions show an average improvement of 18.3% related to the FA orbits while 6.3% is gained by the DD AR approach. The root mean squares (RMSs) of SLR residuals for FA, DD AR, and SD AR solutions are 11.5, 10.2, and 9.6 mm, which validate the positive effect of AR on POD. Standard deviation (STD) of KBR residuals for SD AR orbits is 1.8 mm while 0.9 mm is achieved by the DD AR method. The explanation is that the phase bias products used for SD AR are not free of errors and the errors may degrade the KBR validation. In-flight PCV calibration and ambiguity resolution improve the LEO orbit accuracy effectively.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/21/4204single receiver ambiguity resolutionphase center variation (PCV) calibrationprecise orbit determinationGRACE-FO satellites |
| spellingShingle | Biao Jin Yuqiang Li Kecai Jiang Zhulian Li Shanshan Chen GRACE-FO Antenna Phase Center Modeling and Precise Orbit Determination with Single Receiver Ambiguity Resolution Remote Sensing single receiver ambiguity resolution phase center variation (PCV) calibration precise orbit determination GRACE-FO satellites |
| title | GRACE-FO Antenna Phase Center Modeling and Precise Orbit Determination with Single Receiver Ambiguity Resolution |
| title_full | GRACE-FO Antenna Phase Center Modeling and Precise Orbit Determination with Single Receiver Ambiguity Resolution |
| title_fullStr | GRACE-FO Antenna Phase Center Modeling and Precise Orbit Determination with Single Receiver Ambiguity Resolution |
| title_full_unstemmed | GRACE-FO Antenna Phase Center Modeling and Precise Orbit Determination with Single Receiver Ambiguity Resolution |
| title_short | GRACE-FO Antenna Phase Center Modeling and Precise Orbit Determination with Single Receiver Ambiguity Resolution |
| title_sort | grace fo antenna phase center modeling and precise orbit determination with single receiver ambiguity resolution |
| topic | single receiver ambiguity resolution phase center variation (PCV) calibration precise orbit determination GRACE-FO satellites |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/21/4204 |
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