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A composite clock for robust time–frequency signal generation system onboard a navigation satellite

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Abstract

This research designs a robust time–frequency signal generation system based on the composite atomic clock onboard a navigation satellite, which focuses on the atomic timescale (ATS) generation algorithm and the paper time steering technology of physical realization signal. Combined with the improved ATS algorithm of weighted Kalman, we use the precise clock error data of Center for Orbit Determination in Europe to calculate the single-satellite paper time with higher stability than the classical ALGOS algorithm as a reliable steering reference. The cost function combined with genetic algorithm is designed, and a strategy for optimizing the parameters of the Kalman equivalent digital phase-locked loop control system through adaptive iterative optimization is proposed to obtain the optimal steering value with greatly improved precision. Simulations show that with the improved composite paper time obtained by the single-satellite atomic clock group set as the reference, the time steering error of the steered signal can be maintained within ± 0.09 ns, and the long-term stability is 4.84E−15/1 day. Compared to the single master-clock and ALGOS scheme, respectively, the time steering error is reduced by 58% and 26%, and the frequency stability at 10,000 s is improved by 47% and 15%. Study results provide scheme support for frequency stability performance improvement and reliable application of single-satellite autonomous timekeeping.

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Data availability

The datasets analyzed during the current study are available in the data repositories of The Crustal Dynamics Data Information System of NASA (https://cddis.nasa.gov/archive/gnss/products/). The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are also available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the sailing plan project of Shanghai "scientific and technological innovation action plan" with Grant Number 19YF1446300. Additionally, it has received funding support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China Youth Project (Grant No. 12104485).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China

    Xiao Yi, Shitao Yang, Richang Dong, Qianyi Ren, Tao Shuai, Guang Li & Wenbin Gong

  2. Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Xueyang Road, Shanghai, 200120, China

    Xiao Yi, Shitao Yang, Richang Dong, Qianyi Ren, Guang Li & Wenbin Gong

  3. Shanghai Engineering Center for Microsatellites, No.1 Xueyang Road, Shanghai, 200120, China

    Xiao Yi, Shitao Yang, Richang Dong, Qianyi Ren, Guang Li & Wenbin Gong

  4. Shanghai Astronomical Observatory of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.80 Nandan Road, Shanghai, 200030, China

    Tao Shuai

Authors
  1. Xiao Yi
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  2. Shitao Yang
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  3. Richang Dong
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  4. Qianyi Ren
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  5. Tao Shuai
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  6. Guang Li
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  7. Wenbin Gong
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, conclusion analysis and generation of figures and tables were performed by XY and SY. The first draft of the main manuscript text was written and revised by XY, SY and RD. RD, QR, TS, GL and WG provided guidance and suggestions on the research process and the problems encountered. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript and all authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Wenbin Gong.

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Yi, X., Yang, S., Dong, R. et al. A composite clock for robust time–frequency signal generation system onboard a navigation satellite. GPS Solut 28, 6 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-023-01542-1

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