Design and performance analysis of a UWB tracking system for space applications

This paper discusses an ultra-wideband (UWB) tracking system design effort for a free-flying video camera system for aid in inspection around the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle. 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 system design using commercially available UWB products is implemented. A tracking algorithm TDOA (time difference of arrival) is investigated and the performance analysis provides guidance to improve the system design. Simulations show that the TDOA algorithm can achieve the fine resolution with low noise data. The laboratory experiments demonstrate the UWB tracking feasibility.