A new yaw attitude algorithm for BDS MEO and IGSOs

Created 17/10/2025

Updated 17/10/2025

In the present, the GNSS body-fixed reference frame definition is followed according to the International GNSS Service (IGS) conventions [3] which are based on the spacecraft body frame of the GPS Block II/IIA satellites. This definition is also compatible with the GPS Block IIF satellites while in the case of the GPS Block IIR the spacecraft frame is designed with a reverse direction (away from the sun) in the X axis of the body-fixed frame. The situation is similar to the GPS IIA/IIF for the BDS satellites where +X axis points towards the Sun, +Z axis points to the SV’s radius vector towards the Earth’s centre in the antenna boresight direction, and the +Y axis completes the right handed system while it coincides with the rotation axis of the solar panels. The yaw angle is the critical parameter which defines the GNSS attitude. Contrary to GPS and GLONASS, BeiDou Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO) and Mean Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites do not experience noon-turn and midnight-turn manoeuvres [6], with the exception of the newly launched IGSO6 or C13, formerly C15 (F. Dilssner and P. Steigenberger personal communication).

Files and APIs

Tags

Additional Info

Field Value
Title A new yaw attitude algorithm for BDS MEO and IGSOs
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/5a6ddc78-c256-4051-a6ba-d9defb1aac2c
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia Data
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 20/04/2018
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
{
  "coordinates": [
    [
      [
        112.0,
        -44.0
      ],
      [
        154.0,
        -44.0
      ],
      [
        154.0,
        -9.0
      ],
      [
        112.0,
        -9.0
      ],
      [
        112.0,
        -44.0
      ]
    ]
  ],
  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal Geoscience Australia

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Geoscience Australia "A new yaw attitude algorithm for BDS MEO and IGSOs". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/a-new-yaw-attitude-algorithm-for-bds-meo-and-igsos