GNSS Receiver Tracking Performance
Over the years, we have had the privilege of contributing to several high-profile space missions. We achieved this by ensuring that the performance of GNSS receivers met or exceeded the stringent mission requirements through meticulous GNSS receiver performance assessment.
These assessments were instrumental in shaping the understanding and utilization of GNSS technology in space exploration. Through rigorous testing phases and the culmination in operational success, each project has invariably contributed to our growing knowledge and capabilities in this dynamic field.
For a deeper dive into this topic and its role in space missions, explore our blog post on Unveiling the Unspoken: GNSS Receiver Performance Assessment Explained
Satellite mission: MetOp-A
Mission Objective: Operational climate monitoring from low Earth orbit, improving global weather prediction and understanding of climate change. In addition, it has substantial contribution to environmental monitoring such as sea surface temperatures, wind speeds, and soil moisture.
Operational Altitude: ~817 km
Our Contributions: Characterization of the GRAS receiver, a dual-frequency spaceborne GNSS receiver for atmospheric sounding. We assessed the receiver noise, systematic errors and achievable orbit accuracy. Notably, it demonstrated cm-level orbit precision between independent orbit solutions, and the preliminary derived antenna phase center correction model further improved on the consistency of kinematic-based orbit solutions.
Publication: Tracking and Orbit Determination Performance of the GRAS Instrument on MetOp-A
Image credit: ESA
Satellite Mission: TerraSAR-X
Mission Objective: Make multi-mode and high-resolution X-band data available for a wide spectrum of scientific applications. Acquire 2D SAR observations in the operational modes Stripmap, ScanSAR and Spotlight.
Operational Altitude: ~514 km
Our Contributions: As the MosaicGNSS receiver lacked flight heritage, its performance assessment focused on its navigation functionality and ability to achieve the expected accuracy in space and ground-based processing. Despite experiencing moderate measurement noise level, the assessment successfully demonstrated sub-meter level positioning accuracy through careful optimization and dedicated post-processing techniques. This acquired knowledge will prove valuable for future missions employing similar receivers.
Publication: Inflight Performance Assessment of the Single-frequency Mosaic GNSS Receiver for Satellite Navigation
Image credit: DLR