Rotation corrected orbit method promises centimeter level precision for mega constellations

Precise orbit determination is becoming increasingly critical for satellite navigation, positioning and timing as Low Earth Orbit constellations expand worldwide. Researchers have introduced a new method that combines inter-satellite link data with onboard BeiDou-3 observations to simultaneously resolve LEO and BeiDou-3 Medium Earth Orbit satellite orbits with unprecedented accuracy.

The approach solves the long-standing challenge of constellation-wide rotation drift by referencing the coordinate system embedded in BeiDou-3 broadcast ephemerides and applying a corrective rotation. Simulation tests reduced LEO orbit errors from more than 20 cm to around 1 cm, enabling high-accuracy, low-latency solutions without dependence on dense global ground station networks.

Large constellations such