Design of GNSS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation

Abstract

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) remote sensing can provide irreplaceable atmospheric sounding data based on its sounding technology. But the research on satellite constellation design for GNSS remote sensing is relatively backward. In-orbit resources have not been fully utilized, and the design of sounding satellite constellation lacks systematic and theoretical support. Under the assumption of ideal atmosphere model, the effect of configuration parameters of sounding constellation on sounding performance is studied by geometric analysis method. With 200 km×$200 km×$6 h as the reference scale, the design criteria for the new generation of GNSS remote sensing sounding satellite constellation are established. Four of FY-3 satellites are combined to make GNSS remote sensing satellite constellation optimization design results under three kinds of constellation configurations. The results show that the design criteria are feasible and instructive. In combination with the FY-3 satellites, three Walker sub-constellations with inclination of 68^°, 60^° and 24^° have the best performance.