Dual transponder ranging performance in the presence of oscillator phase noise

A dual transponder carrier ranging method can be used to measure inter-satellite distance with high precision by combining the reference and the to-and-fro measurements. Based on the differential techniques, the oscillator phase noise, which is the main error source for microwave ranging systems, can be significantly attenuated. Further, since the range measurements are derived on the same satellite, the dual transponder ranging system does not need a time tagging system to synchronize the two satellites. In view of the lack of oscillator noise analysis on the dual transponder ranging model, a comprehensive analysis of oscillator noise effects on ranging accuracy is provided. First, the dual transponder ranging system is described with emphasis on the detailed analysis of oscillator noise on measurement precision. Then, a high-fidelity numerical simulation approach based on the power spectrum density of an actual ultra-stable oscillator is carried out in both frequency domain and time domain to support the presented theoretical analysis. The simulation results under different conditions are consistent with the proposed concepts, which makes the results reliable. Besides, the results demonstrate that a high level of accuracy can be achieved by using this oscillator noise cancelation-oriented ranging method.

A novel wide-range precision instrument for measuring three-dimensional surface topography

We developed a measuring instrument that had wide range, high precision, small measuring touch force. The instrument for three-dimensional (3D) surface topography measurement was composed of a high precision displacement sensor based on the Michelson interference principle, a 3D platform based on vertical scanning, a measuring and control circuit, and an industrial control computer. It was a closed loop control system, which changed the traditional moving stylus scanning style into a moving platform scanning style. When the workpiece was measured, the lever of the displacement sensor returned to the balanced position in every sample interval according to the zero offset of the displacement sensor. The non-linear error caused by the rotation of the lever was, therefore, very small even if the measuring range was wide. The instrument can measure the roughness and the profile size of a curved surface.

Progress on the use of satellite technology for gravity exploration

In this paper, the technological progress on Chinese gravity exploration satellites is presented. Novel features such as ultra-stable structure, high accurate thermal control, drag-free and attitude control, micro-thrusters, aerodynamic configuration, the ability to perform micro-vibration analyses, microwave ranging system and mass center trimmer are described.