Constructing space-based continuous navigation and communication system utilizing formation flying satellites on GEO orbit in deep space exploration

Two clusters of formation flying satellites with a relative angle on geosynchronous Earth orbit were used to construct a space-based continuous navigation system for deep space exploration. Adopting technique of passive navigation by multiple base-stations, formation flying satellites obtained high precision of navigation according to time and frequency difference of arrival of downlink signal from deep space explorer. Enhancing system timing and carrier frequency, and increasing the length of baselines help to improve precision of navigation. The precision of this navigation system is close to that of NASA's VLBI system.