One problem, which is comparatively new in the field of GPS applications, is the determination of the relative trajectories of space vehicles. Applications include the docking of spacecraft, collision avoidance in the area of space stations, and trajectory reconstruction of multiple payloads. The required precision in any of these applications will vary, according to the requirements of the task and abilities of GPS to cope with the environment and the dynamics. This paper describes the post-mission reconstruction of the relative trajectories of four GPS receivers attached to four payloads jettisoned from a rocket in a sub-orbital NASA science mission. It is shown that the sub-decimetre level were achieved with single frequency GPS receivers.


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    Title :

    Tracking the Relative Motion of Four Space Payloads Launched From a Sub-Orbital NASA Rocket


    Contributors:
    H. Martel (author) / B. Bull (author)

    Publication date :

    1999


    Size :

    6 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English