Abstract: Connected element interferometry (CEI) is a precision angular measurement technology widely used in the orbit determination of MEO satellites, GEO satellites, lunar probes and deep space probes. A new measurement mode was proposed based on the characteristics of CEI. The carrier and ranging signals in coherent ranging mode were used in CEI. A CEI system was established and used to observe BDS (BeiDou navigation satellite system) GEO satellite. Group delay and phase delay were calculated by using all these signals. Group delay and phase delay results of the BDS GEO satellite were estimated by using the theoretical delay values calculated by precision ephemeris. The results show that the means of the residual of group delay and phase delay is 0.47ns and 0.08ns, and that the standard deviation (3σ) of the residual of group delay and phase delay is 4.2ns and 0.13ns. The feasibility of the phase delay calculation of CEI in coherent ranging mode is verified. This paper can provide reference for precision orbit determination of co-location GEO satellites, lunar probes and deep space probes.

Key words: connected element interferometry, ranging signal, BDS GEO satellite, phase delay, group delay aided phase delay