| The Global Positioning System (GPS) is poised to revolutionize aerospace Guidance, Navigation, and Control. While traditionally thought of as a navigation system, GPS is demonstrated to be a formidable sensor for attitude determination as well. In fact, GPS may now be considered a 10 state sensor, providing continuous real-time Position, Velocity, Time, and Attitude (PVTA) for all axes.;Attitude determination is derived from precise (5mm, 1;This dissertation describes the design and development of a new and unique GPS receiver with full PVTA capability. It chronicles the key innovations which have made this technology possible and addresses the fundamentals and performance of GPS-based attitude determination. A prototype receiver base on antenna multiplexing is presented which offers prospects of significantly reducing the size, weight, power, and cost of the hardware. Other conceptual designs are presented for achieving the highest possible performance. Methods of resolving the cycle ambiguities of the GPS carrier based on motion are developed and tested in an effort to derive the robustness of attitude determination toward perfection.;Maiden space flights of the new receiver are scheduled for launch into low Earth orbit. Test data is presented from extensive flights on a single-engine Piper Dakota to explore aircraft applications of attitude determination. Among these, attitude and precise position sensing using GPS can be applied to the estimation of the aircraft dynamic model in flight. The wealth of dynamic response data obtained through GPS can be used to estimate aircraft stability derivatives and, surprisingly, aeroelastic effects with millimeter-level clarity. This new capability is likely to enhance the overall safety and efficiency of aviation. |
