LEO-Constellation-Augmented BDS Precise Orbit Determination Considering Spaceborne Observational Errors
The precise orbit determination (POD) accuracy of the Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is still not comparable to that of the Global Positioning System because of the unfavorable geometry of the BDS and the uneven distribution of BDS ground monitoring stations. Fortunately, low Earth...
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/16/3189 |
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| author | Min Li Tianhe Xu Haibo Ge Meiqian Guan Honglei Yang Zhenlong Fang Fan Gao |
| author_facet | Min Li Tianhe Xu Haibo Ge Meiqian Guan Honglei Yang Zhenlong Fang Fan Gao |
| author_sort | Min Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The precise orbit determination (POD) accuracy of the Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is still not comparable to that of the Global Positioning System because of the unfavorable geometry of the BDS and the uneven distribution of BDS ground monitoring stations. Fortunately, low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, serving as fast moving stations, can efficiently improve BDS geometry. Nearly all studies on Global Navigation Satellite System POD enhancement using large LEO constellations are based on simulations and their results are usually overly optimistic. The receivers mounted on a spacecraft or an LEO satellite are usually different from geodetic receivers and the observation conditions in space are more challenging than those on the ground. The noise level of spaceborne observations needs to be carefully calibrated. Moreover, spaceborne observational errors caused by space weather events, i.e., solar geomagnetic storms, are usually ignored. Accordingly, in this study, the actual spaceborne observation noises are first analyzed and then used in subsequent observation simulations. Then, the observation residuals from the actual-processed LEO POD during a solar storm on 8 September 2017 are extracted and added to the simulated spaceborne observations. The effect of the observational errors on the BDS POD augmented with different LEO constellation configurations is analyzed. The results indicate that the noise levels from the Swarm-A, GRACE-A, and Sentinel-3A satellites are different and that the carrier-phase measurement noise ranges from 2 mm to 6 mm. Such different noise levels for LEO spaceborne observations cause considerable differences in the BDS POD solutions. Experiments calculating the augmented BDS POD for different LEO constellations considering spaceborne observational errors extracted from the solar storm indicate that these errors have a significant influence on the accuracy of the BDS POD. The 3D root mean squares of the BDS GEO, IGSO, and MEO satellite orbits are 1.30 m, 1.16 m, and 1.02 m, respectively, with a Walker 2/1/0 LEO constellation, and increase to 1.57 m, 1.72 m, and 1.32 m, respectively, with a Walker 12/3/1 constellation. When the number of LEO satellites increases to 60, the precision of the BDS POD improves significantly to 0.89 m, 0.77 m, and 0.69 m for the GEO, IGSO, and MEO satellites, respectively. While 12 satellites are sufficient to enhance the BDS POD to the sub-decimeter level, up to 60 satellites can effectively reduce the influence of large spaceborne observational errors, i.e., from solar storms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:25:51Z |
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| id | doaj.art-e2707a944a94484ebaf713ca87825384 |
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| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:25:51Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-e2707a944a94484ebaf713ca878253842023-11-22T09:33:30ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922021-08-011316318910.3390/rs13163189LEO-Constellation-Augmented BDS Precise Orbit Determination Considering Spaceborne Observational ErrorsMin Li0Tianhe Xu1Haibo Ge2Meiqian Guan3Honglei Yang4Zhenlong Fang5Fan Gao6Institute of Space Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, ChinaInstitute of Space Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, ChinaCollege of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaInstitute of Space Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, ChinaInstitute of Space Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, ChinaInstitute of Space Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, ChinaInstitute of Space Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, ChinaThe precise orbit determination (POD) accuracy of the Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is still not comparable to that of the Global Positioning System because of the unfavorable geometry of the BDS and the uneven distribution of BDS ground monitoring stations. Fortunately, low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, serving as fast moving stations, can efficiently improve BDS geometry. Nearly all studies on Global Navigation Satellite System POD enhancement using large LEO constellations are based on simulations and their results are usually overly optimistic. The receivers mounted on a spacecraft or an LEO satellite are usually different from geodetic receivers and the observation conditions in space are more challenging than those on the ground. The noise level of spaceborne observations needs to be carefully calibrated. Moreover, spaceborne observational errors caused by space weather events, i.e., solar geomagnetic storms, are usually ignored. Accordingly, in this study, the actual spaceborne observation noises are first analyzed and then used in subsequent observation simulations. Then, the observation residuals from the actual-processed LEO POD during a solar storm on 8 September 2017 are extracted and added to the simulated spaceborne observations. The effect of the observational errors on the BDS POD augmented with different LEO constellation configurations is analyzed. The results indicate that the noise levels from the Swarm-A, GRACE-A, and Sentinel-3A satellites are different and that the carrier-phase measurement noise ranges from 2 mm to 6 mm. Such different noise levels for LEO spaceborne observations cause considerable differences in the BDS POD solutions. Experiments calculating the augmented BDS POD for different LEO constellations considering spaceborne observational errors extracted from the solar storm indicate that these errors have a significant influence on the accuracy of the BDS POD. The 3D root mean squares of the BDS GEO, IGSO, and MEO satellite orbits are 1.30 m, 1.16 m, and 1.02 m, respectively, with a Walker 2/1/0 LEO constellation, and increase to 1.57 m, 1.72 m, and 1.32 m, respectively, with a Walker 12/3/1 constellation. When the number of LEO satellites increases to 60, the precision of the BDS POD improves significantly to 0.89 m, 0.77 m, and 0.69 m for the GEO, IGSO, and MEO satellites, respectively. While 12 satellites are sufficient to enhance the BDS POD to the sub-decimeter level, up to 60 satellites can effectively reduce the influence of large spaceborne observational errors, i.e., from solar storms.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/16/3189LEO constellationBDSprecise orbit determinationmeasurement noisespaceborne observational errors |
| spellingShingle | Min Li Tianhe Xu Haibo Ge Meiqian Guan Honglei Yang Zhenlong Fang Fan Gao LEO-Constellation-Augmented BDS Precise Orbit Determination Considering Spaceborne Observational Errors Remote Sensing LEO constellation BDS precise orbit determination measurement noise spaceborne observational errors |
| title | LEO-Constellation-Augmented BDS Precise Orbit Determination Considering Spaceborne Observational Errors |
| title_full | LEO-Constellation-Augmented BDS Precise Orbit Determination Considering Spaceborne Observational Errors |
| title_fullStr | LEO-Constellation-Augmented BDS Precise Orbit Determination Considering Spaceborne Observational Errors |
| title_full_unstemmed | LEO-Constellation-Augmented BDS Precise Orbit Determination Considering Spaceborne Observational Errors |
| title_short | LEO-Constellation-Augmented BDS Precise Orbit Determination Considering Spaceborne Observational Errors |
| title_sort | leo constellation augmented bds precise orbit determination considering spaceborne observational errors |
| topic | LEO constellation BDS precise orbit determination measurement noise spaceborne observational errors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/16/3189 |
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