Estimating the yaw-attitude of BDS IGSO and MEO satellites

Precise knowledge and consistent modeling of the yaw-attitude of GNSS satellites are essential for high-precision data processing and applications. As the exact attitude control mechanism for the satellites of the BeiDou Satellite Navigation System (BDS) is not yet released, the reverse kinematic precise point positioning (PPP) method was applied in our study. However, we confirm that the recent precise orbit determination (POD) processing for GPS satellites could not provide suitable products for estimating BDS attitude using the reverse PPP because of the special attitude control switching between the nominal and the orbit-normal mode. In our study, we propose a modified processing schema for studying the attitude behavior of the BDS satellites. In this approach, the observations of the satellites during and after attitude switch are excluded in the POD processing, so that the estimates, which are needed in the reverse PPP, are not contaminated by the inaccurate initial attitude mode. The modified process is validated by experimental data sets and the attitude yaw-angles of the BDS IGSO and MEO satellites are estimated with an accuracy of better than $$9^{\circ }$$^9∘. Furthermore, the results confirm that the switch is executed when the Sun elevation is about $$4^{\circ }$$^4∘ and the actual orientation is very close to its target one. Based on the estimated yaw-angles, a preliminary attitude switch model was established and reintroduced into the POD, yielding to a substantial improvement in the orbit overlap RMS.