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Aircraft Navigation by Satellite

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2010

H. A. Myers
H. A. Myers
Affiliation:
(Aerospace Corporation)
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Abstract

Aircraft navigation using doppler and orbital information transmitted from a satellite is shown to be feasible, at least in a limited sense, using the least squares, differential correction method of computation. If sufficiently accurate velocity information can be provided, this approach could yield positions for long-range aircraft that are an order of magnitude more accurate than have been achieved with other world-wide, all-weather, all-altitude systems, such as doppler and inertial navigators.

The least squares, differential corrections solutions for both position and velocity do not converge for reasonable initial errors. Therefore, accurate aircraft velocity components, such as those provided by a doppler navigator, must be known. For one-knot velocity errors the position of a 500-knot aircraft can be determined to one-half nautical mile or better for latitudes up to 70 degrees. Several-knot velocity uncertainties result in position errors of a few nautical miles.

The position accuracies for supersonic aircraft are limited by the velocity accuracies achievable with the best doppler navigators. Computational methods that yield velocity as well as position, so that the satellite system would not have to depend so much on another navigation aid, would be most desirable.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Navigation , Volume 16 , Issue 4 , October 1963 , pp. 435 - 448
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Institute of Navigation 1963

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References

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