Citation: Guan, M.; Xu, T.; Li, M.;
Gao, F.; Mu, D. Navigation in GEO,
HEO, and Lunar Trajectory using
Multi-GNSS Sidelobe Signals. Remote
Sens. 2022, 14, 318. https://doi.org/
10.3390/rs14020318
Academic Editor: Kamil Krasuski
Received: 13 December 2021
Accepted: 9 January 2022
Published: 11 January 2022
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Article
Navigation in GEO, HEO, and Lunar Trajectory Using
Multi-GNSS Sidelobe Signals
Meiqian Guan, Tianhe Xu * , Min Li, Fan Gao and Dapeng Mu
Institute of Space Science, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China; 201820659@mail.sdu.edu.cn (M.G.);
limin0614@sdu.edu.cn (M.L.); gaofan@sdu.edu.cn (F.G.); mdp@sdu.edu.cn (D.M.)
* Correspondence: thxu@sdu.edu.cn; Tel.: +86-631-5622731
Abstract:
Positioning of spacecraft (e.g., geostationary orbit (GEO), high elliptical orbit (HEO), and
lunar trajectory) is crucial for mission completion. Instead of using ground control systems, global
navigation satellite system (GNSS) can be an effective approach to provide positioning, navigation
and timing service for spacecraft. In 2020, China finished the construction of the third generation
of BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS-3); this global coverage system will contribute better
sidelobe signal visibility for spacecraft. Meanwhile, with more than 100 GNSS satellites, multi-GNSS
navigation performance on the spacecraft is worth studying. In this paper, instead of using signal-in-
space ranging errors, we simulate pseudorange observations with measurement noises varying with
received signal powers. Navigation performances of BDS-3 and its combinations with other systems
were conducted. Results showed that, owing to GEO and inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO)
satellites, all three types (GEO, HEO, and lunar trajectory) of spacecraft received more signals from
BDS-3 than from other navigation systems. Single point positioning (SPP) accuracy of the GEO and
HEO spacecraft was 17.7 and 23.1 m, respectively, with BDS-3 data alone. Including the other three
systems, i.e., GPS, Galileo, and GLONASS, improved the SPP accuracy by 36.2% and 19.9% for GEO
and HEO, respectively. Navigation performance of the lunar probe was significantly improved when
receiver sensitivity increased from 20 dB-Hz to 15 dB-Hz. Only dual- (BDS-3/GPS) or multi-GNSS
(BDS-3, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS) could provide continuous navigation solutions with a receiver
threshold of 15 dB-Hz.
Keywords:
spacecraft real-time autonomous navigation; single point positioning; sidelobe signals;
multi-GNSS
1. Introduction
Global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-based real-time navigation for spacecraft is
expected to increase satellite autonomy and ensure continuous navigation solutions [
1
,
2
].
This approach has been widely used for low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, where rich GNSS
signals can be received since its altitude is lower than GNSS orbit [
3
,
4
]. With the increasing
interest in the Earth’s space science and lunar exploration, extending the use of GNSS-
based navigation for satellites whose altitudes are higher than GNSS has drawn attention.
Space vehicle navigation performances, including received signal power, satellite visibility,
signal outage and geometric dilute of position (GDOP) were investigated [
5
–
9
]. Specifically,
the space region where altitudes are higher than 3000 km and lower than 36,000 km is
defined as space service volume (SSV) [
10
–
12
]. In 2018, the International Committee on
Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) Working Group-B (WG-B) officially released
the booklet named “The Interoperable Global Navigation Satellite Systems Space Service
Volume” [
13
]. This booklet presents SSV characteristics of each constellation, including
global positioning system (GPS), global navigation satellite system (GLONASS), BeiDou
navigation satellite System (BDS), quasi-zenith satellite system (QZSS), and navigation
with Indian constellation (NavIC). The SSV characteristics include pseudorange accuracy,
Remote Sens. 2022, 14, 318. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14020318 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing
