Julia Gross

Ultra-wideband two-cluster tracking system design with angle of arrival algorithm

This paper describes a design effort for a prototype ultra-wideband (UWB) tracking system that is currently under development at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). The system is being studied for use in tracking of lunar/Mars rovers during early exploration missions when satellite navigation systems are not available. The UWB technology is exploited to implement the tracking system due to its properties such as high data rate, fine time resolution, low power spectral density and multipath immunity. A two-cluster prototype design using commercially available UWB products is proposed to implement the angle of arrival (AOA) tracking methodology in this research effort. Simulations show that the AOA algorithm can achieve the fine tracking resolution with low noise time difference of arrival (TDOA) estimates. The outdoor tests demonstrate the UWB tracking feasibility.

UWB Tracking System Design for Free-Flyers

This paper discusses an ultra-wideband (UWB) tracking system design effort for Mini- AERCam (Autonomous Extra-vehicular Robotic Camera), a free-flying video camera system under development at NASA Johnson Space Center for aid in surveillance around the International Space Station (ISS). UWB technology is exploited to implement the tracking system due to its properties, such as high data rate, fine time resolution, and low power spectral density. A system design using commercially available UWB products is proposed. A tracking algorithm TDOA (Time Difference of Arrival) that operates cooperatively with the UWB system is developed in this research effort. Matlab simulations show that the tracking algorithm can achieve fine tracking resolution with low noise TDOA data. Lab experiments demonstrate the UWB tracking capability with fine resolution.