NASA's GPS tracking system for Aristoteles

NASA 's Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking system for Artistoteles receivers and a GPS flight receiver aboard Aristoteles is described. It will include a global network of GPS ground receivers and a GPS flight receiver aboard Aristoteles. The flight receiver will operate autonomously; it will provide real time navigation solutions for Aristoteles and tracking data needed by ESOC for operational control of the satellite. The GPS flight and ground receivers will currently and continuously track all visible GPS satellites. These observations will yield high accuracy differential positions and velocities of Aristoteles in a terrestrial frame defined by the locations of the globally distributed ground work. The precise orbits and tracking data will be made available to science investigators as part of the geophysical data record. The characteristics of the GPS receivers, both flight and ground based, that NASA will be using to support Aristoteles are described. The operational aspects of the overall tracking system, including the data functions and the resulting data products are summarized. The expected performance of the tracking system is compared to Aristoteles requirements and the need to control key error sources such as multipath is identified.