An Algorithm of Inter Satellite Two-Way Time Transfer Based on Mobile Satellite

Abstract

Two-way time transfer is one of the most accurate time synchronization methods applied to spacecrafts and ground stations to carry out time transfer. As this method doesn’t require the knowledge of locations of two satellites in advance and it offsets the negative influence of transmission path and other additional delays, this method has boosted the time synchronization accuracy. However, in the process of time synchronization, this method demands that the aircrafts, who conduct time synchronization, could be relatively static. So it is mainly used in GEO satellites for satellite-ground two-way time transfer. Based on the establishment of mobile satellite mutual visual model, the simulation of satellite mutual visual time on mobile satellite, including IGSO (Inclined Geo Synchronous Orbit) satellite and MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) satellite, has been conducted. The visual time and the variation range of IGSO-MEO link distance have been gained. The characteristics of the propagation delay of two- way time transfer signals between IGSO satellite and MEO satellite varying with inter satellite range were analyzed and the rule of inter satellite clock offset varying with inter satellite range obtained with this algorithm was deduced. This study presents a inter satellite dynamic two-way time transfer algorithm based on mobile satellite. The high- accuracy inter satellite clock offset is solved through the combination of inter satellite pseudo-range polynomial fitting and clock-offset polynomial fitting. Simulation results showed that with the algorithm the inter satellite time transfer error can be controlled within 1ns. The algorithm can be used high-accuracy time transfer between mobile satellites.