Evaluation of GPS/UTC Steering Performance

Abstract

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is required to maintain GPS time to UTC to an accuracy of one microsecond and broadcast to the user the offset between GPS and UTC to an accuracy of 100 nanoseconds (1 sigma). On June 25, 1990, an automatic steering algorithm was implemented to control GPS time to synchronize if with UTC. The description of the steering laws and predicted performance results were presented at the 1989 PTTI conference, while preliminary performance results were presented at the 1990 PTTI conference. The initial performance was not as predicted, resulting in an in-depth analysis of the observed performance and a more thorough sensitivity analysis. In addition, responses to anomalies were investigated. This paper will describe these analyses and results, and evaluate actual steering performance from June 1990 to November 1991. Although anomalies were observed during the initial phase of steering, recent experience is more in line with expectations.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1991
Accession Number
ADA518894

Entities

People

  • A. L. Satin
  • C. H. Yinger
  • H. Holtz
  • W. A. Feess

Organizations

  • The Aerospace Corporation

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Autonomous Navigation
  • Clocks
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Errors
  • Filters
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Standards
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Kalman Filters
  • Navigation
  • Simulations
  • Standards
  • Statistics
  • Steering
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers