Integrated precise orbit determination for LEO constellation and BDS-3 MEO satellites using inter-satellite links and onboard BDS-3 observations
Abstract By leveraging the high-precision spatial reference established with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), we propose a low-ground-dependency and low-latency Precise Orbit Determination (POD) method employing onboard GNSS, Inter-Satellite Link (ISL) observations and readily available GN...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Satellite Navigation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43020-025-00175-8 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849738571017093120 |
|---|---|
| author | Geer Qin Kecai Jiang Min Li Qile Zhao Xin Xie Youcun Wang Chao Yang Yubin Wang Chuntao Chang |
| author_facet | Geer Qin Kecai Jiang Min Li Qile Zhao Xin Xie Youcun Wang Chao Yang Yubin Wang Chuntao Chang |
| author_sort | Geer Qin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract By leveraging the high-precision spatial reference established with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), we propose a low-ground-dependency and low-latency Precise Orbit Determination (POD) method employing onboard GNSS, Inter-Satellite Link (ISL) observations and readily available GNSS broadcast ephemerides, thereby reducing the need for additional ground infrastructure in the construction of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) navigation augmentation systems. By combining ISL and GNSS data from LEO satellites, this method integrated estimates the orbits of both LEO and GNSS satellites, forming a high-low unified constellation. Due to the lack of absolute spatial reference, it is inevitably subject to a common systematic rotation. To correct this, we introduce an approach that estimates the rotation angles between the coordinate system implied in the integrated GNSS POD solutions and that of the broadcast ephemerides. These angles are then used to construct rotation correction matrices and remove the systematic rotation errors from the integrated POD solutions. We validate the method using 24 BeiDou-3 Satellite Navigation System (BDS-3) Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites and a LEO constellation consisting of 66 LEO satellites. After correction, the along- and cross-track orbit errors of LEO constellation decrease from 22.7 cm and 39.3 cm to 1.3 cm and 4.2 cm, respectively; for BDS-3 MEO satellites, they reduced from 124.3 and 137.8 cm to 13.2 and 13.7 cm. However, some residual error remains due to the systematic rotation inherent in the broadcast ephemerides. When this is removed, Three-Dimensional (3D) accuracy improves from 4.4 to 1.0 cm for LEO satellites, and from 19.3 to 4.6 cm for MEO satellites. As the rotation has less effect on the radial component, radial errors remain at 0.2 cm for LEO satellites and 3.4 cm for MEO satellites. Additionally, we show that, thanks to ISL connectivity, accurate POD is achievable even when only a subset of LEO satellites carries GNSS receivers. Finally, we assess the impact of using predicted Earth Rotation Parameters (ERP), and find that ERP prediction errors mainly affect the rotation correction but less the integrated POD process. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-79dbac9d7f964b409789b76e8f1df5ca |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2662-9291 2662-1363 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Satellite Navigation |
| spelling | doaj-art-79dbac9d7f964b409789b76e8f1df5ca2025-08-20T03:06:31ZengSpringerOpenSatellite Navigation2662-92912662-13632025-08-016112110.1186/s43020-025-00175-8Integrated precise orbit determination for LEO constellation and BDS-3 MEO satellites using inter-satellite links and onboard BDS-3 observationsGeer Qin0Kecai Jiang1Min Li2Qile Zhao3Xin Xie4Youcun Wang5Chao Yang6Yubin Wang7Chuntao Chang8GNSS Research Center, Wuhan UniversityGNSS Research Center, Wuhan UniversityGNSS Research Center, Wuhan UniversityGNSS Research Center, Wuhan UniversityGNSS Research Center, Wuhan UniversityChongqing Satellite Network System Co., LtdDepartment of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityGNSS Research Center, Wuhan UniversityGNSS Research Center, Wuhan UniversityAbstract By leveraging the high-precision spatial reference established with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), we propose a low-ground-dependency and low-latency Precise Orbit Determination (POD) method employing onboard GNSS, Inter-Satellite Link (ISL) observations and readily available GNSS broadcast ephemerides, thereby reducing the need for additional ground infrastructure in the construction of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) navigation augmentation systems. By combining ISL and GNSS data from LEO satellites, this method integrated estimates the orbits of both LEO and GNSS satellites, forming a high-low unified constellation. Due to the lack of absolute spatial reference, it is inevitably subject to a common systematic rotation. To correct this, we introduce an approach that estimates the rotation angles between the coordinate system implied in the integrated GNSS POD solutions and that of the broadcast ephemerides. These angles are then used to construct rotation correction matrices and remove the systematic rotation errors from the integrated POD solutions. We validate the method using 24 BeiDou-3 Satellite Navigation System (BDS-3) Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites and a LEO constellation consisting of 66 LEO satellites. After correction, the along- and cross-track orbit errors of LEO constellation decrease from 22.7 cm and 39.3 cm to 1.3 cm and 4.2 cm, respectively; for BDS-3 MEO satellites, they reduced from 124.3 and 137.8 cm to 13.2 and 13.7 cm. However, some residual error remains due to the systematic rotation inherent in the broadcast ephemerides. When this is removed, Three-Dimensional (3D) accuracy improves from 4.4 to 1.0 cm for LEO satellites, and from 19.3 to 4.6 cm for MEO satellites. As the rotation has less effect on the radial component, radial errors remain at 0.2 cm for LEO satellites and 3.4 cm for MEO satellites. Additionally, we show that, thanks to ISL connectivity, accurate POD is achievable even when only a subset of LEO satellites carries GNSS receivers. Finally, we assess the impact of using predicted Earth Rotation Parameters (ERP), and find that ERP prediction errors mainly affect the rotation correction but less the integrated POD process.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43020-025-00175-8LEO constellationInter-satellite linksConstellation overall rotationPrecise orbit determinationBeiDou-3 broadcast ephemeris |
| spellingShingle | Geer Qin Kecai Jiang Min Li Qile Zhao Xin Xie Youcun Wang Chao Yang Yubin Wang Chuntao Chang Integrated precise orbit determination for LEO constellation and BDS-3 MEO satellites using inter-satellite links and onboard BDS-3 observations Satellite Navigation LEO constellation Inter-satellite links Constellation overall rotation Precise orbit determination BeiDou-3 broadcast ephemeris |
| title | Integrated precise orbit determination for LEO constellation and BDS-3 MEO satellites using inter-satellite links and onboard BDS-3 observations |
| title_full | Integrated precise orbit determination for LEO constellation and BDS-3 MEO satellites using inter-satellite links and onboard BDS-3 observations |
| title_fullStr | Integrated precise orbit determination for LEO constellation and BDS-3 MEO satellites using inter-satellite links and onboard BDS-3 observations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integrated precise orbit determination for LEO constellation and BDS-3 MEO satellites using inter-satellite links and onboard BDS-3 observations |
| title_short | Integrated precise orbit determination for LEO constellation and BDS-3 MEO satellites using inter-satellite links and onboard BDS-3 observations |
| title_sort | integrated precise orbit determination for leo constellation and bds 3 meo satellites using inter satellite links and onboard bds 3 observations |
| topic | LEO constellation Inter-satellite links Constellation overall rotation Precise orbit determination BeiDou-3 broadcast ephemeris |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s43020-025-00175-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT geerqin integratedpreciseorbitdeterminationforleoconstellationandbds3meosatellitesusingintersatellitelinksandonboardbds3observations AT kecaijiang integratedpreciseorbitdeterminationforleoconstellationandbds3meosatellitesusingintersatellitelinksandonboardbds3observations AT minli integratedpreciseorbitdeterminationforleoconstellationandbds3meosatellitesusingintersatellitelinksandonboardbds3observations AT qilezhao integratedpreciseorbitdeterminationforleoconstellationandbds3meosatellitesusingintersatellitelinksandonboardbds3observations AT xinxie integratedpreciseorbitdeterminationforleoconstellationandbds3meosatellitesusingintersatellitelinksandonboardbds3observations AT youcunwang integratedpreciseorbitdeterminationforleoconstellationandbds3meosatellitesusingintersatellitelinksandonboardbds3observations AT chaoyang integratedpreciseorbitdeterminationforleoconstellationandbds3meosatellitesusingintersatellitelinksandonboardbds3observations AT yubinwang integratedpreciseorbitdeterminationforleoconstellationandbds3meosatellitesusingintersatellitelinksandonboardbds3observations AT chuntaochang integratedpreciseorbitdeterminationforleoconstellationandbds3meosatellitesusingintersatellitelinksandonboardbds3observations |