Global Positioning System Detection of Minuteman II Launch and Positioning of Launch Site

Abstract

In this paper, global positioning system (GPS) data collected by seven permanent GPS stations of Southern California Integrated GPS Network during the launch of the long-range Minuteman II missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base on July 8, 2000 is processed. By manipulating and passing the total electron content through a high-pass filter, the energy released by the missile launch was detected. After that, the basic concept of positioning used in GPS is applied to the problem to pinpoint the position of the missile launch pad. This is done by the implementation of the concept of subionospheric points that serve analogously to GPS satellites. The simulation of the analysis with prior data proves that the launch pad can indeed be positioned with this algorithm. However, real-life analysis without prior data highlights the existence of three problems that need to be overcome to pinpoint that pad.