Framework to Emulate Spacecraft Orbital Positioning Using GNSS Hardware in the Loop

Abstract

The paper presents a framework to emulate spacecraft orbits using GNSS hardware in the loop that enables the evaluation of new orbital positioning algorithms. The framework software generates the spacecraft orbit and the GNSS signals, including the most common perturbations. These signals are modulated and transmitted by a software-defined radio and received by a commercial GPS receiver. The system is validated using a test orbit, where the GPS receiver accurately determines the spacecraft positions. Moreover, using raw data provided by the receiver, the spacecraft positions have also been determined by software for a low earth orbit, in which civil GPS receivers do not work.