CPF

Consolidated Prediction Format

Again, for the same reasons mentioned above for the renewal of the predictions files, the ILRS realised the older format could no longer efficiently support the prediction data. Here another factor had to be taken into account: with the increase number of satellites in GNSS constellation the ILRS had to optimise orbit predictions so that a schedule that could accommodate the larger number satellites in need of observations could be easily accommodated. The result was the CPF files: the data contained in these files is the data used by the ILRS stations to schedule observations.

The file contains several headers with general information about the station, the clocks used, the lasers and of course also the predictions for satellite visibility for the relevant stations.

An old version (v1.0) for the CPF files format can be found here and the new version (v2.0) here. V2.0 supersedes V1.0 since the 1st of October 2021. Example code for file creation and edition is available here. File examples can also be found here. 

The GSSC uses resource type ‘Predicted Orbits’ to handle CPF files.