GPS signal phase tracking using a Kalman filter

Abstract

One of the more significant error sources in using the Global Positioning System for attitude determination of aircraft and earth orbiting satellites is multipath interference. The GPS signal is reflected from the spacecraft structures resulting in a composite signal that differs from the direct line-of-sight signal in terms of phase and amplitude. The resulting phase errors can have a significant impact on the attitude determination error. This thesis will describe the GPS signal generation and provide tools to simulate the signal. A Kalman filter will then be developed to track the phase changes in the simulated GPS signals, and its performance described in the absence and presence of multipath