Analysis of Navigation Error Sources for the Timation DNSS (Defense Navigation Satellite Systems) Option.

The proposed Defense Navigation Satellite System (DNSS) (called TIMATION by the Naval Research Laboratory) was evaluated in terms of aspects relating directly to the navigation performance of the System. Three areas were examined: configuration stability; orbit determination and prediction accuracy; and navigation. The first two areas were evaluated in terms of their effects on navigation accuracy. The error sources considered included gravity field modeling, Earth tides modeling, radiation pressure modeling, and observation biases and precision. The major error sources for navigation using the TIMATION system are radiation pressure modeling and the degree of synchronization of the satellites' clocks. (Modified author abstract)