Satellite Radio Interferometry

Abstract

Satellite radio interferometry techniques of geodesy, whereby relative positions of earth surface points and orbits of earth satellites are determined from phase difference measurements of radio signals propagating from the satellites to the earth surface points (or vice versa), were investigated under this contract. R.m.s. scatter of relative position vector determinations was 2 millimeters for horizontal coordinates of earth surface points separated by about 150 kilometers in the vicinity of Houston, Texas, when the orbits of the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System satellites whose carrier signal phases were measured at these points were determined simultaneously from seven hours of phase measurements at a network of stations spanning 320 kilometers, without atomic frequency standards. Related techniques for determining positions of earth surface radio transmitters observed via repeater satellites were also investigated.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 31, 1991
Accession Number
ADA242360

Entities

People

  • Charles C. Counselman Iii

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Atomic Beam Masers
  • Computer Simulations
  • Contracts
  • Frequency
  • Geodesy
  • Geophysics
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Navigation Satellites
  • Radio Interferometry
  • Radio Signals
  • Radio Waves
  • Satellite Orbits
  • Satellite Radio
  • Spacecraft
  • Transmitters

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology.
  • Radio communications and signal processing.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris