5:45 PM - 6:00 PM
[G07-2-06] Benefits for GGOS from SLR tracking of GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS satellites
One of the fundamental goal of GGOS is to improve the consistency level between different space geodetic techniques, such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR). In the SLR solutions, the station coordinates are typically derived on the basis of SLR tracking of four spherical geodetic satellites: two LAGEOS and two Etalons. The GNSS orbits are, on the other hand, solely derived from microwave GNSS observations. The International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) initiated four intensive SLR tracking campaigns for Galileo and three campaigns devoted to tracking all GNSS spacecraft between 2014 and 2016. As a result, the number of SLR observations and the number of tracked GNSS satellites have dramatically increased allowing for determining GNSS orbits, SLR station coordinates, and Earth Rotation Parameters (ERPs) solely on the basis of SLR tracking of GNSS satellites.
We will present a solution in which the GNSS orbits, SLR station coordinates, geocenter coordinates, and ERPs are determined using the SLR observations to 26 GLONASS, 14 Galileo, 2 BeiDou IGSO, 2 BeiDou MEO, and 1 QZSS satellite. We compare the SLR station coordinate stability derived from GNSS-based results to the LAGEOS-only solution and from a combined 'SLR to GNSS+LAGEOS' solution. We compare as well the SLR-derived GNSS orbits to the microwave-derived results. We found that the coordinate stability of those SLR stations which provide a large number of SLR observations of GNSS s/c can remarkably be improved. The Length-of-day parameter can be derived from SLR-GNSS solutions with a much better accuracy than from the LAGEOS-only solutions. The benefits for ITRF of SLR tracking of GNSS satellites are much greater than the SLR tracking of two Etalons. Eventually, we show that the SLR tracking of GNSS satellites improves the consistency between SLR and GNSS solutions, which is fundamental for fulfilling the GGOS goals.
We will present a solution in which the GNSS orbits, SLR station coordinates, geocenter coordinates, and ERPs are determined using the SLR observations to 26 GLONASS, 14 Galileo, 2 BeiDou IGSO, 2 BeiDou MEO, and 1 QZSS satellite. We compare the SLR station coordinate stability derived from GNSS-based results to the LAGEOS-only solution and from a combined 'SLR to GNSS+LAGEOS' solution. We compare as well the SLR-derived GNSS orbits to the microwave-derived results. We found that the coordinate stability of those SLR stations which provide a large number of SLR observations of GNSS s/c can remarkably be improved. The Length-of-day parameter can be derived from SLR-GNSS solutions with a much better accuracy than from the LAGEOS-only solutions. The benefits for ITRF of SLR tracking of GNSS satellites are much greater than the SLR tracking of two Etalons. Eventually, we show that the SLR tracking of GNSS satellites improves the consistency between SLR and GNSS solutions, which is fundamental for fulfilling the GGOS goals.