Evaluation of Accuracy of GPS Attitude Determination Algorithms Using Aircraft Flight Test Data

Abstract

Spaceborne GPS navigation technology has been investigated very actively since it effectively enhances the autonomy of space vehicles on Low Earth Orbit (LEO). GPS attitude determination system (ADS) uses carrier phase measurements observed at multiple antennas, and it contributes especially to simplification of the GN & C sub-system. The current topics in GPS attitude determination are directed to increase reliability and accuracy of the GPS ADS as well as to reduce its computational load. In this paper, the algorithms derived from integer search technique and least squares approach are described, and the accuracy and computational load are evaluated by the analysis of the aircraft flight test data taken in November 2001.