Acta Geodaetica et Cartographica Sinica ›› 2015, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (6): 634-640.doi: 10.11947/j.AGCS.2015.20140240

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Relative Position Determination between Deep-space Probes Based on Same Beam Phase-referencing Imaging Technique

ZHOU Huan1,2, TONG Fengxian2,3, LI Haitao1,4, ZHENG Weimin2, DONG Guangliang1, LI Peijia2, SHU Fengchun2   

  1. 1. Beijing Institute of Tracking and Telecommunications Technology, Beijing 100094, China;
    2. Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200030, China;
    3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
    4. School of Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100091, China
  • Received:2014-05-07 Revised:2014-11-21 Online:2015-06-20 Published:2015-07-28
  • Supported by:
    The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.11173052;10878021);The National Key Techniques Research Program of China's Lunar Exploration (No.TY3Q20100009);Project Supported by Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai (No.14XD1404300)

Abstract: To meet the needs of high accuracy relative position determination in deep space explorations, a new method is proposed based on the same beam phase-referencing imaging technique that originates from the radio astronomy. Firstly, the same beam phase-referencing imaging measurement model for spacecraft positioning is built. The very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) imaging principle and the phase difference between two spacecrafts are derived. Then, two precision affecting factors are analyzed, including the signal bandwidth and the UV coverage. The dirty beams formed by different station numbers and different observation lengths with the Chinese interferometry network are simulated. Finally, with the same beam observation data of the Chang'E-3 lander and rover from the Chinese VLBI network (CVN) on December 15, 20 and 21, 2013,the Yutu rover lunar surface positions are determined with accuracy of about 1 meter. The results show the feasibility and high accuracy of this method, which is well-adapted to the spacecraft signals without special beacons.

Key words: relative position determination, deep-space probes, same beam phase-referencing imaging, Chang'E-3, Chinese VLBI network

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