EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF A FIFTH GROUND ANTENNA SITE FOR THE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM

The NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space based radio navigation system being developed to provide accurate position, velocity and time any place on or near the earth, 24 hours of every day, and under all weather conditions. The GPS performance characteristics provide significant benefits in the areas of spacecraft navigation, satellite delivery, equipment positioning, resource mapping, payload deployment and retrieval, propellant economies, data processig, and mission planning. GPS is a passive radio system and is comprised of space, control, and user segments. The space segment consists of 18 navigational satellites in six orbital planes, plus three operational spares. The three in-orbit spares will be positioned in such a way as to provide optimum coverage of the continental United States. A satellite failure in one of the three planes containing a spare will result in the spare being moved to a position containing a spare failed satellite. A failure in one of the other planes will cause satellites in adjacent orbital planes to be moved within their planes to provide the best possible coverage until a new satellite can be launched.

• Corporate Authors:

  Air Force Institute of Technology

  Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
  Dayton, OH  United States  45433
• Authors:
  • Donelson, T L
• Publication Date: 1987-12-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 82 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Antennas; Global Positioning System; Location
• Uncontrolled Terms: Building sites; Ground; Selecting
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00477202
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: AFIT/GSO/ENS/87D-4
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 1988 12:00AM