A
system for the relative navigation of aircraft and
spacecraft is disclosed which uses a series of
short duration, unmodulated radio pulses transmitted from a
phased array antenna. The aircraft or
spacecraft whose position is to be determined from another is called as the local
station, whereas the other craft with the
phased array antenna
system is called as the transmitting
station. The local
station transmits a radio query pulse to the transmitting station. In response to the radio query pulse, the transmitting station transmits a series of unmodulated radio pulses, where each radio pulse is transmitted with a three dimensional
radiation pattern that is different than the three dimensional
radiation patterns of the other radio pulses transmitted by the transmitting station. A
receiver attached to the local station aircraft or
spacecraft receives each radio pulse, generates a
signal that describes the
radio signal strength of the received
signal and sends that
signal strength number to a stored program processor which stores that
signal strength number into memory. After a series of radio signals are received at the local station and at least two
radio signal strength measurements are stored in memory, the stored program processor calculates the
power ratio or ratios of each received
radio signal strength from each radio pulse transmitted by the transmitting location. Bearing is then determined by comparing the calculated radio signal power ratios with a
library of angles that correspond to specific power ratios for all radio
radiation patterns transmitted. The local station also records the time elapsed from when the first radio pulse is received from the transmitting station after the radio query pulse is sent. Range is determined by dividing that elapsed time by two and multiplying that time with the
speed of light.