Noise analysis for X-ray navigation systems

Hanson, John; Sheikh, Suneel I.; Graven, Paul; Collins, John T.

doi:10.1109/plans.2008.4570028

Cited by 37 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Pulse TOAs are then extracted by comparing the measured time-series with a model pulse profile [24,31,36,68]. Figure 1 (see also Section 2.2.1) shows lines representing a given pulse phase of a pulsar signal arriving at the true spacecraft position and an initial estimate of the position at two instants in time, separated by an interval Δt, as the signal moves through the Solar System relative to the inertial reference frame of the SSB [69].…”

Section: Pulse Timingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[24,36]); however the analytic formula described in Section 3.3.1 and Appendix A serves to highlight the main parametric dependencies. For a wide range of pulse-profile shapes and SNR, the values given by the formula and determined by the simulations for the five pulsars PSR B1937 + 21, B1821-24, J0437-4715, J1012 + 5307 and B0531 + 21 agree to within a factor of~3, and scale approximately with 1/√T obs as expected and as can be seen in Table 2.…”

Section: Simulation Of Pulse Profiles and Comparison Of Range Error Ementioning

confidence: 99%

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Towards practical autonomous deep-space navigation using X-Ray pulsar timing

et al. 2016

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We investigate the feasibility of deep-space navigation using the highly stable periodic signals from X-ray pulsars in combination with dedicated instrumentation on the spacecraft: a technique often referred to as 'XNAV'. The results presented are based on the outputs from a study undertaken for the European Space Agency. The potential advantages of this technique include increased spacecraft autonomy and lower mission operating costs. Estimations of navigation uncertainties have been obtained using simulations of different pulsar combinations and navigation strategies. We find that the pulsar PSR B1937 + 21 has potential to allow spacecraft positioning uncertainties of~2 and~5 km in the direction of the pulsar after observation times of 10 and 1 h respectively, for ranges up to 30 AU. This could be achieved autonomously on the spacecraft using a focussing X-ray instrument of effective area~50 cm 2 together with a high performance atomic clock. The Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer (MIXS) instrument, due to be launched on the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury in 2018, is an example of an instrument that may be Exp Astron (2016) further developed as a practical telescope for XNAV. For a manned mission to Mars, where an XNAV system could provide valuable redundancy, observations of the three pulsars PSR B1937 + 21, B1821-24 and J0437-4715 would enable a three-dimensional positioning uncertainty of~30 km for up to 3 months without the need to contact Earth-based systems. A lower uncertainty may be achieved, for example, by use of extended observations or, if feasible, by use of a larger instrument. X-ray instrumentation suitable for use in an operational XNAV subsystem must be designed to require only modest resources, especially in terms of size, mass and power. A system with a focussing optic is required in order to reduce the sky and particle background against which the source must be measured. We examine possible options for future developments in terms of simpler, lower-cost Kirkpatrick-Baez optics. We also discuss the principal design and development challenges that must be addressed in order to realise an operational XNAV system.

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Section: Pulse Timingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Simulation Of Pulse Profiles and Comparison Of Range Error Ementioning

confidence: 99%

Towards practical autonomous deep-space navigation using X-Ray pulsar timing

et al. 2016

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“…This simple TOA accuracy concept was further extended to include the pulse shape for the LS estimator case [23]. In this case, the following assumptions are made:…”

Section: Noise Analysis and System Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

Spacecraft Navigation and Timing Using X-ray Pulsars

Sheikh¹,

Hanson²,

Graven³

et al. 2011

Navigation

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Pulsars are unique celestial sources that produce distinctive, periodic signals. Since their discovery, they have been considered as potential navigation aids and timing beacons to form a reference coordinate system and universal time scale. Further study of these astronomical objects has shown that their pulse timing can achieve sub-microsecond level performance, and interest and research into these sources has grown to conceive a fully autonomous navigation and timing system for deep space vehicles. Sources that radiate within the X-ray band of the electromagnetic spectrum have high potential for creating a practical spacecraft navigation solution, which includes accurate time and position determination onboard a space vehicle using the precisely periodic sources, and precise attitude determination using both pulsating and steady sources. This paper provides an overview of spacecraft navigation methods and various research and results that have evolved since the concept of X-ray pulsar-based navigation was first proposed.

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“…There are in space the needed beacons, this astronomic sources (AS) of electromagnetic illumination with sufficient stability level. They are far away star groups or galaxies called quasars and also some star systems or separate stars-pulsars [6][7][8][9][10]. One of the first publications [9] where errors of SV position estimation using pulsars was discussed belong to the 80-th of the last century.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Signals are received in the Roentgen band of electromagnetic illumination where there is maximal spectra density of the power flow [8]. The most stable are the signals of AS with periods of illumination from parts to tens of milliseconds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A-priory Error of the Initial Conditions While Solving the Problem of the Space Vehicle Navigation Using Pulsar Signals

Konakov¹,

Tislenko²,

Shavrin³

2016

J. Sib. Fed. Univ., Math. phys.

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The problem of a space vehicles (SV) navigation while processing the moments of signals from several space sources of Roentgen illumination incoming taking into consideration random error of measurements is discussed in the paper. The device of processing realizes Kalman filter quasi-optimal sigma-point algorithm and forms at the output estimates of SV current coordinates and velocity. It is done estimates error analysis when a-priory input and measured date about the SV position and velocity differ. There is also analyzed intensity of measurement of incoming moments errors due to the observation properties compared with the initial values. Method of statistical tests allowed to estimate the influence of a-prioryinaccuracy on the root-mean-square error of the SV coordinate and velocity estimation.

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Noise analysis for X-ray navigation systems

Cited by 37 publications

References 15 publications

Towards practical autonomous deep-space navigation using X-Ray pulsar timing

Towards practical autonomous deep-space navigation using X-Ray pulsar timing

Spacecraft Navigation and Timing Using X-ray Pulsars

A-priory Error of the Initial Conditions While Solving the Problem of the Space Vehicle Navigation Using Pulsar Signals

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