Inventors:
Curtis A. Knight - Washington DC
John C. Webber - Herndon VA
International Classification:
G01S 502
Abstract:
A satellite tracking system, including a terrestrial transmitter, a plurality of terrestrial receivers, and a controller/analyzer, operates in two modes. In an active mode, the transmitter emits a tracking signal within a spread spectrum to a satellite and at least one of the receivers receives the signal retransmitted by the satellite. The controller/analyzer then determines the satellite position and velocity from the received signal. In a passive mode, at least two receivers each receive a signal transmitted from the satellite during normal operation and the controller/analyzer determines the satellite position and velocity from the received signals. The satellite position and velocity can be used to determine the position of an unknown transmitter that causes interference at the satellite.