Toward a Geodesy and Time Reference in Space (GETRIS): A Study of Apparent Satellite Clocks of a Future GNSS Satellite Constellation

Abstract

Today, concepts within the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) aim a Terrestrial Reference System (TRS) with 1 mm accuracy and long-term stability of 0.1 mm/year. GETRIS (Geodesy and Time Reference In Space) is a concept that aims to realize a relativistic reference system based on satellites as an extension to the TRS. This helps with another goal of the GGOS, namely, the connection of different satellite layers with the TRS. For a valuable contribution to the GGOS’s goals, we would expect to achieve precise determined satellite orbits at the level of 1–3 mm and satellite clocks with a picosecond accuracy. The use of increasingly precise links helps to improve the satellite precise orbit determination (POD) and is necessary to synchronize the clocks in the satellite/station network. We analyze a complementary use of high-precision optical dual one-way links at the level of 1 mm precision together with the L-band. In previous studies, we analyzed the benefit for satellite POD, achieving Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) as well as geosynchronous orbit (GSO) accuracies at the low-millimeter level. In this work, we analyze the capabilities for clock synchronization. We compare two different clock types for estimation and prediction. We analyze different satellite constellations and different combinations of measurement links.