Single-satellite global positioning system

• A new concept of a global positioning system, based on only one satellite.
• High accuracy of measurement using a laser interferometer.
• The possibility of establishing a system of high-precision navigation on other celestial bodies.

A new concept of a global positioning support system, based on only one satellite, was offered. Unlike all other GPS and GLONASS satellite systems that are in use, within the offered modification, all metrological support is provided by on-board measurements, which means, that it does not need any ground support of coordinate measurements or orbital characteristics of the satellite system. The cosmic-based angle-measuring instrument measures the arcs lengths between the measured ground-points, that are marked with light beacons, and navigation stars. Each measurement takes approximately 0.04 s, with the precision of 1 mm in recalculation to ground-relations. Long series of arc measurements between different objects on the ground and in the sky enable the solution of both determination of geodesic coordinates of the measured points and position of the spacecraft during the measuring process by using geodesic equation methods. In addition, it enables the qualification of the geopotential guaranties. The offered scheme will be used for the determination of the frame of selenocentric coordinates during the “Luna-Globe” and “Luna-Resource” missions for precise navigation of landing modules and maybe will be used for precise gridding of the Martian surface.