Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets · 2018 · 33 citations · 13 references
EngineeringAerospace EngineeringAutonomous SystemsGlobal Navigation Satellite SystemsOrbital MechanicsSpacecraft DesignAttitude DeterminationFormation FlyingOrbit DeterminationSatellite Orbit DeterminationSpacecraft Proximity OperationsSpacecraft Trajectory DesignDifferential Global Navigation Satellite SystemsOnline State EstimationOrbit Determination From Global Navigation Satellite Systems ObservationsPosition EstimationReceiver ArchitectureRelative NavigationRelative Positioning AccuracyRelative State Estimation
In November 2014 the CanX-4 and CanX-5 spacecraft became the first nanosatellites to demonstrate autonomous formation control with error less than 1 m. This feat was accomplished both in along-track formations at 1000 and 500 m range and projected circular orbit formations at 100 and 50 m. This control performance was enabled through carrier-phase differential GPS navigation techniques, providing online relative state estimates typically accurate to better than 10 cm. It was an important milestone on the road to regular and fully operational formation-flying missions. This paper provides an overview of the relative positioning algorithm design, presents an independent assessment of the receiver performance, and assesses the absolute and relative navigation results. The mission’s on-orbit results are compared with an independently determined orbit solution computed using the GPS High Precision Orbit Determination Software Tools at the German Aerospace Centre.
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GRACE Measurements of Mass Variability in the Earth System
B. D. Tapley, Srinivas Bettadpur, John Ries et al. · Science · 2004 · 2.6K citations