Formation of a geodetic network in space based on LEO satellite constellations

The number of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers is rapidly increasing. GNSS observations in space are no longer limited to a small number of Earth observation satellites, but large nanosatellite constellations enable the formation of a dense network of GNSS observations around the Earth. Such a space-based GNSS network has great potential for geodetic Earth observation: First, it allows GNSS double-difference processing in space, where GNSS signals are not affected by tropospheric refraction and where no ground observations are needed. Second, a dense and homogeneous GNSS network in space can improve the sensitivity to certain geodetic parameters by providing a better observation geometry than a few LEO satellites or a ground-based network. Based on simulations and GNSS observations from both geodetic and nanosatellite missions, we investigate the potential of large satellite constellations to complement the existing geodetic Earth observation satellites.

Contacts:
Lukas Müller, ETH Zurich,
Benedikt Soja, ETH Zurich,
Markus Rothacher, ETH Zurich,