MAE 5150 - GPS: Theory and Design

Spring. 4 credits. Letter grades only.

Prerequisite: 3000-level engineering course with advanced math content (e.g. ECE 3030 or MAE 3260). Co-meets with EAS 4150/ECE 4150/MAE 4150.

D. Hysell.

Analysis of GPS operating principles and engineering practice with a culminating design exercise. GPS satellite orbital dynamics, navigation data modeling, position/navigation/timing solution algorithm, receiver and antenna characteristics, analysis of error and accuracy, differential GPS.

Outcome 1: Students will be able to develop an understanding of orbital mechanics with non-Keplerian perturbations and reference frames adequate to calculate GPS satellite positions in absolute and local coordinates.

Outcome 2: Students will be able to use to use the GPS observables, their physical models, and the multi-variable version of Newton’s nonlinear equation-solving method to calculate a navigation solution and a velocity solution.

Outcome 3: Students will be able to gain an understanding of the sources of ranging errors and how they map to navigation errors.

Outcome 4: Students will be able to collect raw GPS data in a laboratory environment, to analyze its properties, including its noise properties, and to use it to derive useful position, navigation, timing, and velocity information.

Outcome 5: Students will be able to implement an advanced analysis or design solution to a GPS problem, test it experimentally, and effectively communicate the results in a final report.