SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTERPLANETARY NAVIGATION

• US 20080059009A1
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Hegg, Jeff, Fedora, Neal R.
• Application Number:
  US11/470,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20080059009A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/13
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/24 specially adapted for cosmonautical navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO

Abstract

Systems and methods for interplanetary space navigation are provided. In one embodiment, a system for navigating a spacecraft in outer space is provided. The system comprises means for broadcasting navigation signals to a spacecraft traveling in outer space, each navigation signal comprising a spread-spectrum signal that includes information on the location of the means for broadcasting navigation signals, the time the navigation signal was transmitted and a reference frame identifier; means for receiving the navigation signals transmitted from the means for broadcasting navigation signals; and means for determining one or more ranges and delta-ranges between the means for receiving and the means for broadcasting based on the navigation signals using time-of-arrival (TOA) techniques; means for calculating a position of the spacecraft in space based on the one or more ranges; and means for calculating a velocity of the spacecraft in space based on the one or more delta-ranges.

Claims

1. A method for interplanetary navigation of a spacecraft, the method comprising:

transmitting one or more navigation signals in the direction of outer space from a first set of navigation satellites deployed in orbit around a first celestial body, the navigation signals including a reference frame identifier, a location, and a time of transmission;

receiving the one or more navigation signals from the first set of navigation satellites; and

calculating at least one of a first range to a first satellite of the first set of navigation satellites based on the one or more navigation signals and a first delta-range to the first satellite of the first set of navigation satellites based on the one or more navigation signals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating at least two ranges to at least two satellites of the first set of navigation satellites;

calculating at least two delta-ranges to at least two satellites of the first set of navigation satellites; and

calculating at least one of a relative position of the spacecraft with respect to the first celestial object based on the at least two ranges and a relative velocity of the spacecraft with respect to the first celestial object based on the at least two delta-ranges.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the one or more navigation signals from the first set of navigation satellites further comprises:

receiving a first navigation signal from the first satellite of the first set of navigation satellites; and

determining a frame of reference based on the first navigation signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating a range to a first satellite of first set of navigation satellites based on the navigation signals further comprises:

determining one or both of the location of the first satellite and a time of transmission of the navigation signal based on the navigation signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating a range to a first satellite of first set of navigation satellites based on the navigation signals further comprises determining the range based on time-of-arrival techniques.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more navigation signals from a second set of navigation satellites orbiting a second celestial body, wherein each satellite of the second set of navigation satellites is adapted to transmit one or more navigation signals in the direction of outer space; and

calculating at least one of a second range to a first satellite of the second set of navigation satellites based on navigation signals from the first satellite of second set of navigation satellites and a second delta-range to the first satellite of the second set of navigation satellites based on navigation signals from the first satellite of second set of navigation satellites.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

distinguishing between navigation signals received from the first set of navigation satellites and the second set of navigation satellites based on the reference frame identifier.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

calculating a relative position of the spacecraft with respect to the first celestial object and the second celestial object based on the first range and the second range.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

calculating a relative velocity of the spacecraft with respect to the first celestial object and the second celestial object based on the first delta-range and the second delta-range.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more navigation signals from a navigation marker, wherein each the navigation marker is adapted to transmit one or more navigation signals in the direction of outer space.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving one or more navigation signals from a navigation buoy further comprises receiving one or more navigation signals from a navigation buoy deployed at a Lagrange point.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising

calculating at least one of a third range to the navigation marker and a third delta-range to the navigation marker based on navigation signals from the navigation buoy;

and

13. A spacecraft adapted for interplanetary travel, the spacecraft comprising:

a navigation signal receiver adapted to receive navigation signals broadcast to outer space from one or more of a set of navigation satellites and a navigation marker located in outer space, the navigation signal receiver further adapted to calculate one or more ranges and delta-ranges based on the navigation signals using time-of-arrival (TOA) techniques, wherein the navigation signals each include a reference frame identifier, a location, and a time of transmission; and

a processor coupled to the navigation signal receiver, the processor adapted to calculate a navigation solution that estimates one or both of a position and a velocity of the spacecraft based on the one or more ranges and delta-ranges.

14. The spacecraft of claim 13, wherein the processor is further adapted to implement a navigation algorithm programmed to receive the one or more ranges and delta-ranges and provide a navigation solution that estimates one or both of the position and the velocity of the spacecraft by further estimating errors associated with the one or more ranges and delta-ranges.

15. The spacecraft of claim 13, wherein the navigation signal receiver is further adapted to calculate a first range to a first celestial body based on at least one navigation signal received from a first navigation satellite of a first set of navigation satellites.

16. The spacecraft of claim 15, wherein the navigation signal receiver is further adapted to calculate a second range to a second celestial body based on at least one navigation signal received from a second navigation satellite of a second set of navigation satellites;

and

wherein the processor is further adapted to calculate a position of the spacecraft in space based on the first range and the second range.

17. The spacecraft of claim 16, wherein the navigation signal receiver is further adapted to calculate a third range to a first navigation marker based on at least one navigation signal received from the first navigation marker;

and

wherein the processor is further adapted to calculate a position of the spacecraft in space based on the first range, the second range and the third range.

18. The spacecraft of claim 13, wherein the processor is further adapted to determine if navigation corrections are required to stay on a desired course based on differences between the one or more ranges calculated by the navigation signal receiver and an expected range to one or more of a celestial body and a navigation buoy.

19. A system for navigating a spacecraft in outer space, the system comprising:

means for broadcasting navigation signals to a spacecraft traveling in outer space, each navigation signal comprising a spread-spectrum signal that includes information on the location of the means for broadcasting navigation signals, the time the navigation signal was transmitted and a reference frame identifier;

means for receiving the navigation signals transmitted from the means for broadcasting navigation signals; and

means for determining one or more ranges and delta-ranges between the means for receiving and the means for broadcasting based on the navigation signals using time-of-arrival (TOA) techniques;

means for calculating a position of the spacecraft in space based on the one or more ranges; and

means for calculating a velocity of the spacecraft in space based on the one or more delta-ranges.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for broadcasting navigation signals includes a first means for broadcasting navigation signals in orbit around a first celestial body and at least one of:

a second means for broadcasting navigation signals around a second celestial body; and

a third means for broadcasting navigation signals deployed at a known location in outer space.