Relativistic Evaluation Models of Laser Time Transfer between Satellites Resulting from Orbit Perturbations and Attitude Jitters

Abstract

The realization of picosecond level laser time transfer between satellites plays a key role in microgravity scientific missions, such as gravitational wave detection, next generation GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), deep space exploration, testing general relativity and searching for dark matter. In picosecond or higher level, a deep insight of relativistic error of laser time transfer between satellites induced by orbit perturbations and attitude jitters is urgently needed, which contributes to the compensation of relativistic error. Firstly, this paper points out the problem of orbit perturbations and attitude jitters. Then, the relativistic evaluation models of one-way laser time transfer and two-way laser time transfer resulting from orbit perturbations and attitude jitters are investigated. The relativistic evaluation models are proposed with incorporation of attitude dynamics and orbit dynamics of satellites, as well as relativistic models of one-way laser time transfer and two-way laser time transfer. Simulation studies are carried out to analyze the effect of orbit perturbations and attitude jitters on the relativistic error. Simulation results show that the relativistic error induced by orbit perturbations increases with time and the relativistic error induced by attitude jitters displays periodic variation. Furthermore, the relativistic error of two-way laser time transfer is less than one-way laser time transfer.