Satellite-station time synchronization information based real-time orbit error monitoring and correction of navigation satellite in Beidou System

Satellite-station two-way time comparison is a typical design in Beidou System (BDS) which is significantly different from other satellite navigation systems. As a type of two-way time comparison method, BDS time synchronization is hardly influenced by satellite orbit error, atmosphere delay, tracking station coordinate error and measurement model error. Meanwhile, single-way time comparison can be realized through the method of Multi-satellite Precision Orbit Determination (MPOD) with pseudo-range and carrier phase of monitor receiver. It is proved in the constellation of 3GEO/2IGSO that the radial orbit error can be reflected in the difference between two-way time comparison and single-way time comparison, and that may lead to a substitute for orbit evaluation by SLR. In this article, the relation between orbit error and difference of two-way and single-way time comparison is illustrated based on the whole constellation of BDS. Considering the all-weather and real-time operation mode of two-way time comparison, the orbit error could be quantifiably monitored in a real-time mode through comparing two-way and single-way time synchronization. In addition, the orbit error can be predicted and corrected in a short time based on its periodic characteristic. It is described in the experiments of GEO and IGSO that the prediction accuracy of space signal can be obviously improved when the prediction orbit error is sent to the users through navigation message, and then the UERE including terminal error can be reduced from 0.1 m to 0.4 m while the average accuracy can be improved more than 27%. Though it is still hard to make accuracy improvement for Precision Orbit Determination (POD) and orbit prediction because of the confined tracking net and the difficulties in dynamic model optimization, in this paper, a practical method for orbit accuracy improvement is proposed based on two-way time comparison which can result in the reflection of orbit error.