Courses - GPS 570
GPS 570 Fundamentals of Satellite
Positioning (catalog description): ITRF and ICRF references
frames and transformations, tectonic plate motions, precession,
nutation, polar motion, rotational and atomic time scales, GPS
time, normal orbits, Kepler's laws and equation, topocentric
satellite motions, visibility, perturbation of satellite orbits,
solar radiation pressure, impact of asymmetry of gravity field and
earth's flattening; GPS, GLONASS and Galileo satellite systems.
Prerequisite: GPS 401 and 441, MAT 262 and 332, equivalent, or
consent, Lec. 1, Cr. 1
This unit introduces the
geocentric motions of satellites for the simple case of a
spherically symmetric gravity field. The three Kepler laws and the
Kepler equation are derived and applied to various orbits. We
develop the expressions to compute topocentric azimuth, elevation
angle, and distance of satellites and study satellite trajectories
as a function of semimajor axis and inclination, and construct
visibility charts.
Our understanding of orbital
motions and the limitations of available satellite ephemerides
will be further deepened by considering the effects of the
flattening of the earth, asymmetries in the gravity field, and
solar radiation pressure on the orbits of satellites.
This unit introduces the precise
definitions of conventional celestial and terrestrial reference
frames, including all physical phenomena that change coordinates
of points in an earth-centered and earth-fixed reference frame.
These foundations, which are also addressed in parts in GPS 441,
are important considering that we are now able determine
geocentric locations with centimeter accuracy.
An initial discussion on the GPS,
GLONASS and planned Galileo satellite systems will be given.
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