Initial Results of the Precise Orbit Determination for the New-Generation BeiDou Satellites (BeiDou-3) Based on the iGMAS Network

Bingfeng Tan,Xifeng Liu,Mingyue Wen,Yafei Ning,Yunbin Yuan

doi:10.3390/ijgi5110196

Abstract

By August 2016, 5 new-generation BeiDou satellites (BeiDou-3) have successfully been launched. The observations of a very limited number of 9 International GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) Monitoring and Assessment Service (iGMAS) stations and 52 Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX) stations from 16 July to 14 August 2016 are processed to determine the orbits of BeiDou-3 and BeiDou-2 satellites, respectively. The internal consistency and satellite laser ranging (SLR) validations are conducted for the orbit validation. BeiDou-3 MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) (C33 and C34) have larger root mean square (RMS) values than those BeiDou-3 IGSO (C31 and C32), whereas BeiDou-2 MEO satellites have smaller RMS values than the BeiDou-2 IGSO satellites. Furthermore, BeiDou-3 IGSO and BeiDou-2 satellites have RMS values at identical levels, whereas BeiDou-3 MEO satellites have larger RMS values than the BeiDou-2 MEO satellites. The RMS residuals are approximately 10 cm in the radial component and approximately 25 cm in the along component for BeiDou-3 IGSO satellites. For BeiDou-3 MEO satellites, the RMS residuals are approximately 40 cm in the radial component and approximately 60 cm in the along component. The SLR validation reports that the orbit radial component can reach an accuracy on the level of 1 decimeter and 4 decimeters for BeiDou-3 IGSO and MEO, respectively.

Highlights

China is constructing the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), which is an important constellation that contributes to the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Geodesy community [1]
The observations from 52 Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX) stations were processed for the precise orbit determination of BeiDou-2 satellites
A two-step method was implemented in the routine software package developed by the Analysis Centre at the Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Summary

Introduction

China is constructing the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), which is an important constellation that contributes to the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Geodesy community [1]. Following the completion of the first deployment phase, which involved a constellation of five satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO), five in inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO), and four in medium earth orbit (MEO), BDS has been officially providing continuous passive positioning, navigation, and timing services for the Asia-Pacific area since 27 December 2012. As of August 2016, there are 14 BeiDou-2 satellites in operation: five GEO satellites, six IGSO satellites, and three MEO satellites. On 30 March 2015, China’s first New-Generation (BeiDou-3) Navigation satellite was successfully launched, which signaled the beginning of BDS’s expansion from regional to worldwide coverage. By August 2016, five BeiDou-3 satellites, each of which has a new navigation signal system, inter-satellite links, and other test features, have been launched, which brings the satellite navigation system closer to completion. The status of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (updated as of August 2016) is summarized in Table 1 [2]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion