Research on the Method of Autonomous Establishing and Maintaining the Synthetic Atomic Time of Satellite Navigation Constellation

The autonomous establishment and maintenance of synthetic atomic time in satellite navigation constellations is increasingly becoming the development requirements of satellite navigation systems, this article systematically discusses the composition framework of synthetic atomic time in satellite navigation constellations. Inter-satellite/satellite-to-ground time-frequency comparison measurement technology, satellite navigation constellation synthetic atomic time distribution technology, and constellation dynamic clock group management technology have been modeled, using Beidou precision clock error data provided by IGS’s multi-GNSS experiment project (MGEX). The performance simulation of the synthetic atomic time of the satellite navigation constellation was carried out. Based on the synthetic atomic time established by six MEO satellites equipped with on-board hydrogen clocks in orbit, the astronomical stability has been increased from 5E−15/d for a single satellite (hydrogen clock) to 3.28E−15/d, with a 24-h forecast error increased from 14 cm for a single satellite (hydrogen clock) to 9 cm, which preliminarily proved the feasibility and effectiveness of the autonomous establishment and maintenance method for the synthetic atomic time.