Accuracy of the Global Positioning System-Derived Acceleration Vector

The accuracy with which acceleration can be determined from global positioning system (GPS) data has been investigated. This has been done to evaluate the possibility of using the GPS-derived acceleration as an attitude reference or in drop-sphere soundings of the upper atmosphere. The accuracy of the GPS acceleration signal has been investigated in two ways. One way has been to mathematically determine the acceleration error levels induced by receiver noise and by selective availability. The other way has been to use actual receiver data for receivers with known accelerations. Experimental acceleration accuracy of 0.009 g has been obtained at a 0.2 Hz bandwidth. The predicted achievable accuracy at a 1.6-Hz bandwidth is 0.03 g.