Combining terrestrial and LEO data to extend the GPS satellite antenna patterns to nadir angles beyond 14°

The absolute phase center model igs08.atx adopted by the International GNSS Service (IGS) in 2011 is based on robot calibrations for a number of terrestrial GNSS receiver antennas and consistent correction values for the GNSS transmitter antennas estimated from data of the global IGS tracking network. As the calibration of the satellite antennas is solely based on terrestrial measurements, the estimation of their phase patterns is limited to a nadir angle of 14°. This is not sufficient for the analysis of spaceborne GPS data collected by low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites that record observations at nadir angles of up to 17°. We use GPS tracking data from the LEO missions Jason-2, MetOp-A, GRACE, and GOCE to extend the IGS satellite antenna patterns to nadir angles beyond 14° in a combined analysis with terrestrial measurements. In order to achieve estimates that are consistent with the PCVs currently used within the IGS, GPS and LEO orbits are fixed to reprocessed solutions obtained by adopting the IGS conventional values from igs08.atx. Due to significant near-field multipath effects in the LEO spacecraft environment, it is necessary to solve for GPS (nadir-dependent only) and LEO (azimuth- and elevation-dependent) antenna patterns simultaneously. We assess the contribution of the different LEO missions to a combined solution and analyze the impact of the extended PCVs on LEO precise orbit determination results.