Design considerations for selecting GNSS antenna mounting location in launch vehicles

This paper describes the design considerations for selecting GNSS antenna mounting location in launch vehicles. Antenna mounting location and configuration of antenna system has a direct impact on the visibility of GNSS satellites during the launch vehicle ascent. Differences in types of orbits of different satellite navigation constellations pose a challenge in finding an antenna mounting location suitable for all constellations. In this paper, design considerations for finding antenna mounting location suitable for reception of GPS and NavIC signals are explored in detail. Simulations are carried out taking into consideration the launch vehicle trajectory, orbital information of satellites and receive antenna pattern, and using the receiver hardware. The simulation results are a good indication of expected satellite visibility during the actual launch and a comparison with the flight results are carried out. In summary, the design considerations explored in this paper present an effective approach in selecting GNSS antenna mounting location for launch vehicles