Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A GPS signal acquisition algorithm for the high orbit space

  • Original Article
  • Published:
GPS Solutions Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the high orbit space, the visibility of GPS main lobe signal is poor due to the earth's occlusion and the increase in signal transmission distance. Therefore, the side lobe signals are essential for navigation mission, which puts forward higher requirements for the sensitivity of the receiver. In addition, the cross-correlation interference (CCI) caused by the large power difference between the main and side lobe signals is serious and results in the false acquisition of the side lobe signals. To improve the acquisition sensitivity and stability of the receiver, we designed a GPS signal acquisition algorithm for the high orbit space. The characteristics of high orbit GPS signal are analyzed according to the propagation process of GPS signal link. The influence of CCI on the acquisition performance of the side lobe signals is explored. Based on the parallel code phase search method, the coherent accumulation and incoherent accumulation are combined to improve the acquisition sensitivity. At the same time, according to the different probability distribution characteristics of autocorrelation peak and cross-correlation peaks in the correlator output, CCI is detected by means of hypothesis testing. The strong signals are reconstructed by using the amplitudes, code phases and Doppler shifts provided by the tracking loop. The CCIs are estimated by correlating the reconstructed strong signals with the local duplicated signals and eliminated from the correlation results of the side lobe signals to obtain the correct acquisition results. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can eliminate the CCIs in the high orbit space and improve the acquisition sensitivity of the receiver. Moreover, the CCIs under different Doppler shift differences of the main and side lobe signals can be effectively eliminated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The GPS satellite transmitting antenna gain data and the orbit data of GPS satellites can be found at https://www.gps.gov/technical/icwg/. In addition, all other data in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

References

  • Benjamin WA, Frank HB, Joel JKP, Jennifer FD (2018) GPS operations in high earth orbit: recent experiences and future opportunities. AIAA-2018–2568.

  • Chai J, Wang X, Yu N, Wang D, Li Q (2018) Modeling and intensity analysis of GNSS signal link for high-orbit spacecraft. J Beijing Univ Aeronaut Astronaut 44(7):1496–1503

    Google Scholar 

  • Filippi H, Gottzein E, Kuehl C, Mueller C, Barrios-Montalvo A, Dauphin H (2010) Feasibility of GNSS receivers for satellite navigation in GEO and higher altitudes. Satellite Navigation Technologies and European Workshop on GNSS Signals and Signal Processing, pp 1–8. IEEE.

  • Gao G J, Lachapelle G (2007) INS: assisted high sensitivity GPS receivers for degraded signal navigation. Dissertation, University of Calgary, Canada.

  • Glennon EP, Dempster AG (2004) A review of GPS cross correlation mitigation techniques. In: Proceedings of International Symposium on GNSS/GPS, 6–8 December 2004, Sydney Australia, pp. 125–137.

  • Glennon EP, Dempster AG (2005) A novel GPS cross correlation mitigation technique. Proceeding of the ION GNSS 2005, Institute of Navigation, Long Beach, California, USA, September 13–16, 190–199.

  • He W, Xu J, Ye T (2011) Detection of GNSS weak signal in cross correlation interference. Acta Elect Sin 39(2):471–475

    Google Scholar 

  • Holtzman JM, Nakkeeran R (1994) Wireless and mobile communications. Springer, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • ICD-GPS-240C (2019) https://www.gps.gov/technical/icwg/

  • Jade-Morton Y, Tsui J, Lin D, Liou L, Miller M, Zhou Q, French M, Schamus J (2003) Assessment and handling of CA code self interference during weak GPS signal acquisition. In: Proceedings of the ION GNSS 2003, Institute of Navigation, Portland, Oregon, USA, September 9–12, 646–653.

  • Konin V, Shyshkov F (2016) Autonomous navigation of service spacecrafts on geostationary orbit using GNSS signals. Radioelect Commun Syst 59(12):562–566

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X, Zhang H, Wu H, Ou J (2016) Rapid DSSS signal acquisition algorithm under high dynamic environment. J Elect Inform Technol 38(6):1398–1405

    Google Scholar 

  • Locubiche-Serra S, Lopez-Salcedo J A, Seco-Granados G (2016) Sensitivity of projection-based near-far mitigation techniques in high-sensitivity GNSS software receivers. Int Conf Indoor Posit Indoor Navig. IEEE

  • Moreau MC, Bauer FH, Carpenter JR, Davis EP, Davis GW, Jackson LA (2002) Results from the GPS flight experiment on the high earth orbit AMSAT OSCAR-40 spacecraft. In: Proceedings of the INO ITM 2002, Institute of Navigation, Breckenridge, Colorado, USA, February 6–10, pp 45–59

  • Pany T, Göhler E, Irsigler M, Winkel J (2010) On the state-of-the-art of real-time GNSS signal acquisition: a comparison of time and frequency domain methods. Int Conf Indoor Posit Indoor Navig. IEEE

  • Qiao L, Lim S, Rizos C, Liu J (2009) Autonomous GEO satellite navigation with multiple GNSS measurements. In: Proceedings of the ION GNSS 2009, Institute of Navigation, Savannah, GA, September 22–25, 2169–2177.

  • United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (2018) The interoperable global navigation satellite systems space service volume. United Nations Office, Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Diggelen F (2009) A-GPS: assisted GPS GNSS and SBAS. Artech House, Norwood

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Nee DJR, Coenen AJRM (1991) New fast GPS code-acquisition technique using FFT. Elect Lett 27(2):158–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang J, Song M (2010) Design of a software receiver for GPS weak signal acquisition. Geomat Inform Sci Wuhan Univ 07:846–849

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang X, Ji X, Feng S (2014) A scheme for weak GPS signal acquisition aided by SINS information. GPS Solut 18(2):243–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xie G (2009) Principles of GPS and receiver design. Publishing House of Electronics Industry, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao L, Amin M, Lindsey A R (2001) Mitigation of periodic interferers in GPS receivers using subspace projection techniques. In: Processing of sixth international symposium on signal processing and its applications 2001, pp 497–500

  • Zheng G, Liu J, Yang J, Li X (2019) Automatically locate tropical cyclone centers using top cloud motion data derived from geostationary satellite images. IEEE Trans Geosci Remote Sens 57(99):10175–10190

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (Grant Number 61673040 and 61074157), the Joint Projects of NSFC-CNRS (Grant Number 61111130198), the Aeronautical Science Foundation of China (Grant Number 2015ZC51038 and 20170151002) and the Project of the Experimentation and Technology Research (1700050405). The work is also supported by the Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Space-Ground Integrated Information Technology under grant number 2015-SGIIT-KFJJ-DH-01.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China

    Kewen Lu & Xinlong Wang

  2. Beijing Institute of Control and Electronic Technology, Beijing, 100038, China

    Liangliang Shen

  3. State Key Laboratory of Space-Ground Integrated Information Technology, Bejing, 10086, China

    Ding Chen

Authors
  1. Kewen Lu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xinlong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Liangliang Shen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ding Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xinlong Wang.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lu, K., Wang, X., Shen, L. et al. A GPS signal acquisition algorithm for the high orbit space. GPS Solut 25, 92 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-021-01127-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-021-01127-w

Keywords

Search

Navigation