Miniaturized Multi-Band GNSS Receiver for Cis-Lunar Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
GPS/GNSS navigation in high-altitude regimes beyond low-earth orbit faces challenges due to degraded signal strength, availability, and geometry, limiting its effectiveness for space applications such as cis-lunar and lunar missions.
Innovation Solution
A miniaturized multi-band GNSS receiver using space-grade application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) with phase-synchronized RF channels to process multiple navigation signals from different constellations, including GPS and Galileo, and a navigation processor that combines measurements using a Kalman filter to provide position, velocity, and time information, even in poor geometry conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional GPS receiver technology is used in high-altitude space applications, then the receiver can operate in low-earth orbit, but signal strength and availability are degraded beyond LEO
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver is designed to process multiple signal types including GPS L1, L2, L5 and Galileo E1, E5a frequencies simultaneously through a multi-band front-end with wide bandwidth (at least 20 MHz). This multi-functionality enables the single receiver to acquire and track signals from different satellite constellations across multiple frequency bands, improving signal availability in high-altitude regimes where geometric diversity becomes critical
2Reliability
If the receiver processes multiple navigation signals from different constellations, then signal availability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple signal processing functions into a unified architecture. The front-end combines wide-bandwidth RF reception for multiple frequencies into a single chain, the FPGA integrates correlation, tracking, and navigation solution computation, and the antenna system is designed to handle multiple constellations simultaneously. This consolidation reduces overall system complexity compared to using separate receivers for each constellation and frequency band
3Adaptability or versatility
If the receiver uses wide bandwidth to process multiple frequencies, then multi-constellation capability improves, but signal processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional software-based signal processing with hardware-implemented correlation and tracking functions in an FPGA. The correlation engines and tracking loops are implemented as dedicated hardware circuits that operate in parallel, enabling simultaneous processing of multiple frequencies and constellations without the computational overhead of software processing. This hardware substitution reduces processing complexity while maintaining multi-constellation versatility
Data Source
AI summary
A space based multi-band GPS/GNSS navigation system, including: a first RF card with a space grade application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) implementing two RF channels configured to receive and process two different received navigation signals; a space grade navigation processor configured to: execute processor instructions to process the two different received navigation signals to produce position, velocity, and time information; and process measurements using an Extended Kalman filter for enhanced performance at high altitude, including cis-lunar and lunar space.