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Wu, S. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Wu, S. C..

At least 19 records

A Novel GPS-Based Sensor for Ocean Altimetry

A technique for a novel application of GPS signals to ocean altimetry is described. The entire Earth surface is divided into a triangular grid of points nearly-uniformly spaced.

Ocean

A Prototype Real-Time Area Differential GPS System

In this paper we describe the system architecture, algorithms, and preliminary results from an operating prototype Wide Area Differential GPS (WADGPS) system spanning the continetal US (CONUS).

Prototype Wide Area

A Prototype WADGPS System for Real Time Sub-Meter Positioning Worldwide

Many planned and proposed NASA science activities will benefit from precise real time positioning with wide area differential GPS (WADGPS). Future NASA users include orbital remote sensing instruments (altimeters, SARs, imagers) and a variety of airborne and Earth based investigations. Real time positioning requirements and goals range from a few meters to a few centimeters. Direct benefits will include the enabling of missions that are not now possible (such as precision remote sensing from the space shuttle and space station) and dramatic reduction of analysis costs for a diversity of current investigations.

GPS

First assessment of GPS-based reduced dynamic orbit determination on TOPEX/Poseidon

The reduced dynamic Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking technique has been applied for the first time as part of the GPS experiment on TOPEX/Poseidon. This technique employs local geometric position corrections to reduce orbit errors caused by the mismodeling of satellite forces. Results for a 29-day interval in early 1993 are evaluated through postfit residuals and formal errors, comparison with GPS and laser/DORIS dynamic solutions, comparisons on 6-hr overlaps of adjacent 30-hr data arcs, altimetry closure and crossover analysis. Reduced dynamic orbits yield slightly better crossover agreement than other techniques and appear to be accurate in altitude to about 3 cm RMS.

Yunck, T. P.

Automated Precision Orbit Determination for TOPEX/Poseidon with GPS

A highly automated GPS data processing system for the orbit determination of TOPEX/Poseidon is described. The orbit is recovered to an estimated accuracy of better than 4 cm in altitude, 6 cm crosstrack, and 11 cm down track. The RMS postfit residuals on the ionospherically calibrated carrier phase observable are less than 5 mm. The RMS difference over a 4.5-hour overlap period between two 30-hour data arcs is 1 cm in altitude, 5 cm cross track, and 4 cm down track. These results can be obtained within two days of onboard GPS data collection. Most of the data processing for a 30-hour arc of GPS data can be performed on a single workstation in less than 6 hours of CPU time. The estimation scenarios are explained, the automated data processing steps are described, and means to assess solution quality are discussed.

automation GPS data processing orbit determination

Geocenter location and variations in earth orientation using global positioning system measurements

We have studied the use of GPS ground and flight tracking data to measure short-period earth orientation variations and changes in geocenter location. Comparisons between GPS-estimated earth rotation variations and those calculated from ocean tide models suggest that observed subdaily variations in earth rotation are dominated by oceanic tidal effects. Our preliminary GPS estimates for geocenter location agree with an independent satellite laser ranging estimates to 10-15 cm. Covariance analysis predicts that temporal resolution of GPS estimates for earth orientation and geocenter improves significantly when data collected from low earth-orbiting satellites as well as from ground sites are combined. The low-earth GPS tracking data enhance the accuracy and resolution for measuring high-frequency global geodynamical signals over time scales less than 1 day.

Malla, R. P.

TDRSS orbit determination using short baseline differenced carrier phase

This paper discusses a covariance study on the feasibility of using station-differenced carrier phase on short baselines to track the TDRSS satellites. Orbit accuracies for the TDRSS using station-differenced carrier phase data and range data collected from White Sands, NM are given for various configurations of ground stations and range data precision. A one-sigma-position position accuracy of 25 meters can be achieved using two orthogonal baselines of 100 km for the station-differenced phase data and range data with 1 m accuracy. Relevant configuration parameters for the tracking system and important sources of error are examined. The ability of these data to redetermine the position after a station keeping maneuver is addressed. The BRTS system, which is currently used for TDRSS orbit determination, is briefly described and its errors are given for comparison.

Nandi, S.

Application of GPS tracking techniques to orbit determination for TDRS

In this paper, we evaluate two fundamentally different approaches to TDRS orbit determination utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and GPS-related techniques. In the first, a GPS flight receiver is deployed on the TDRSS spacecraft. The TDRS ephemerides are determined using direct ranging to the GPS spacecraft, and no ground network is required. In the second approach, the TDRSS spacecraft broadcast a suitable beacon signal, permitting the simultaneous tracking of GPS and TDRSS satellites from a small ground network. Both strategies can be designed to meet future operational requirements for TDRS-2 orbit determination.

Haines, B. J.