On a Method of Position Location for a Search and Rescue System with an Orbiting Satellite

Abstract

A Satellite-aided search and rescue system is expected for its many advantages of global coverage, instantaneousness and low-cost.

This paper describes a calculation method which determines a position of distress with the received Doppler frequency using an orbiting satellite.

First, a program is developed for calculating the position of distress with the received Doppler frequency of EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) with the least squares method. Then, positioning errors caused by the drift of the transmitting frequency and the position error of the satellite are evaluated using the program. The evaluation is made by the simulation using NNSS satellite orbital elements and varying position of EPIRB, numbers of Doppler data and magnitudes of various errors.

As the result, the availability of this program for a satellite-aided search and rescue system is confirmed and the bounds of expected positioning accuracy is clarified.