TDOA BASED TRACKING MEASUREMENT FOR GEO SATELLITES ORBIT DETERMINATION: EVALUATION FOR THE SATELLITE OPERATORS

Abstract

The satellite's orbit determination has recently evolved with new tracking data and data processing methods and algorithms developments. The satellite operators need the current and future motion of the satellites for operational purposes and use various methods to measure the tracking data. This study investigates the time difference of arrival (TDOA) based ground data measurement and processing of these tracking data to obtain orbital parameters and the communication satellite operators' use of the method. First, a conceptual ground station network was established to collect TDOA based tracking data. Then these data were processed to determine the orbits using a sequential process (SP) filter method. The results were analyzed by comparing radial, in-track, and cross-track positions and velocities for three satellites at different orbital locations. The mean root mean square error (RMSE) differences of radial, in-track, and cross-track (RIC) position values of three satellites are about 19 m, 5 m, and 1 m, respectively. Similarly, the mean RMSE differences of RIC velocity values are about 0.8 cm/s, 0.15 cm/s, 0.05 cm/s respectively. These values are below the success criteria that are satellite typical flight dynamics requirements. The estimated communication satellites orbit with TDOA based observation data are fully consistent with truth orbit parameters. The satellite operators can utilize the proposed TDOA measurement method with its benefits to estimate satellite orbit.

Keywords

• TDOA measurement
• tracking data
• orbit determination
• communication satellite

References

1. [1] Schutz B, Tapley B, Born GH. Statistical orbit determination, Elsevier, 2004.
2. [2] Curtis, H. Orbital Mechanics for Engineering Students: Revised Reprint. Butterworth-Heinemann, 2020. [3] Montenbruck O, Gill E, Lutze F. Satellite orbits: models, methods, and applications. Appl Mech Rev, 2002; 55(2), B27-B28. [4] Radio Communication Sector of International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Rec. ITU-R TF.1153-4 The operational use of two-way satellite time and frequency transfer employing pseudorandom noise codes, Electronic Publication, Geneva, 2015.
3. [5] Marzioli P, Santoni F, Piergentili F. Evaluation of time difference of arrival (TDOA) networks performance for launcher vehicles and spacecraft tracking. Aerospace, 2020;7 (10), 151.
4. [6] Wu P, Su S, Zuo Z, Guo X, Sun B, Wen X. Time difference of arrival (TDOA) localization combining weighted least squares and firefly algorithm.Sensors, 2019; 19(11), 2554.
5. [7] Huo L, Bai R, Jiang M, Chen B, Chen J, Huang P & Liao G. A Tri-Satellite Interference Source Localization Method for Eliminating Mirrored Location. Sensors, 2021; 21(13), 4483.
6. [8] Batuman E. Comparison and evaluation of three dimensional passive source localization techniques Msc, Middle East Technical University, 2010.
7. [9] McMahon J. Demonstration of Precise Orbit Determination of GEO Spacecraft for Geolocation Using the Fourier SRP Model. In The Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference, 2018; (p. 52).
8. [10] Ho KC, Lu X, Kovavisaruch LO. Source localization using TDOA and FDOA measurements in the presence of receiver location errors: Analysis and solution. IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, 2007; 55(2), 684-696.

9. [11] Amishima T & Suzuki N. Error analysis of ephemeris calibration for dual-satellite TDOA/FDOA geolocation. IEICE Communications Express, 2017; 6(12), 667-672.
10. [12] Sonata I, Heryadi Y & Soewito B. Implementation Satellite Interference Geolocation using TDOA algorithm in Indonesia. International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 2020, 9(6), 700-703.
11. [13] Gholami MR, Gezici S & Strom EG. Improved position estimation using hybrid TW-TOA and TDOA in cooperative networks. IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, 2012, 60(7), 3770-3785.
12. [14] Kaliuzhnyi M, Bushuev F, Shulga O, Sybiryakova Y, Shakun L., Bezrukovs V. Malynovskyi Y. International network of passive correlation ranging for orbit determination of a geostationary satellite. Odessa Astronomical Publications, 2016; 29, 203-206.
13. [15] Rodriguez L, Krier G, Thill M & de Vicente J. Passive Ranging for Geostationary Satellites: On a Novel System and Operational Benefits. In SpaceOps Conference; 2014; 1857-1864.
14. [16] Oz I, Yilmaz ÜC, Güler Ü. Performance Assessment of a Turn Around Ranging in Communication Satellite Orbit Determination.Sakarya University Journal of Computer and Information Sciences, 2021; 4(1), 73-83. [17] Morrison D, Pogorelc S, Celano T & Gifford A. Ephemeris determination using a connected element interferometer. In Proceedings of the 34th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval Systems and Applications Meeting, 2002; 295-307.
15. [18] Pessina S, De Juana JM, Fernandez J, Lazaro D & Righetti P. Operational Concepts Refinement For The Orbit Determination of Meteosat Third Generation, 2017.