Sea surface height (SSH) serves as a fundamental geophysical parameter in oceanographic research. In 2023, China successfully launched the world’s first spaceborne interferometric GNSS-R (iGNSS-R) altimeter, which features dual-frequency multi-beam scanning, interferometric processing, and compatibility with three major satellite navigation systems: the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), the Global Positioning System (GPS), and the Galileo Satellite Navigation System (GAL). This launch marked the first in-orbit validation of the iGNSS-R altimetry technology. This study provides a detailed overview of the iGNSS-R payload design and analyzes its dual-frequency delay mapping (DM) measurements. We developed a refined DM waveform-matching algorithm that precisely extracts the propagation delays between reflected and direct GNSS signals, enabling the retrieval of global sea surface height (SSH) through the interferometric altimetry model. For validation, we employed an inter-satellite crossover approach using Jason-3 and Sentinel-6 radar altimetry as references, achieving an unprecedented SSH accuracy of 17.2 cm at a 40 km resolution. This represents a breakthrough improvement over previous GNSS-R altimetry efforts. The successful demonstration of iGNSS-R technology opens up new possibilities for cost-effective, wide-swath sea level monitoring. It showcases the potential of GNSS-R technology to complement existing ocean observation systems and enhance our understanding of global sea surface dynamics.

In view of the future development trend of ocean altimetry satellites, the design idea of Ka/C dual frequency combination system is proposed, that is, the mode of using an altimeter antenna to contain Ka and C frequencies (35.7 and 5.3 GHz, respectively) for combined ranging. First, the random error model of altimeter measuring the distance from the altimeter phase center to the sea surface is given, and the analysis shows that the ionospheric correction error is one of the important factors. Second, the calculation of typical ionospheric parameters shows that the influence of ionospheric higher order terms on altimeter ranging is below the mm level, and its influence can be ignored. The rigorous expression for the first-order and second-order term correction of ionosphere error are given, respectively, by using dual frequency and three frequencies. The computational experiment of Jason-2 and SARAL satellite show that the maximum magnitude of ionospheric error correction in Ku band can reach 11 cm, while the maximum magnitude of ionospheric error correction in Ka band can reach 2 cm. For high-precision applications, ionospheric corrections must be made for single Ka frequency. After Ka/C dual frequency combination is adopted, error correction can be directly conducted without global ionospheric map (GIM) model, and its accuracy will be further improved than GIM model. Under 1 Hz sampling conditions, the ionospheric correction accuracy of Ka/C combination can be better than 2.5 mm, basically eliminating the influence of the ionosphere, and the total ranging accuracy can reach 3.5 cm considering the propagation error.

To evaluate the prospects of multi-antenna GNSS buoy and mooring array in ocean altimetry satellite calibration, experiments are conducted in the ocean around Qianliyan islet in China’s Yellow Sea. The trials aim to validate the feasibility of establishing an ocean altimetry satellite calibration site while assessing the performance of relevant calibration equipment. Utilizing one multi-antenna GNSS buoy system and one mooring array operating for over 20 days, the experiment incorporates continuous GNSS observation data from Qianliyan islet’s permanent station. Results reveal that high-frequency sea surface height (SSH) signals exhibit periods approaching or below 10 s, with the designed low-pass filter effectively attenuating these high-frequency components. Significant differences emerge in the power spectra of filtered SSH measurements between instruments: high-frequency signals detected by the mooring array demonstrate greater spectral concentration and lower signal intensity than those recorded by the GNSS buoy. Through multi-day synchronized observations, the height datum for mooring array SSH measurements is obtained, revealing average standard deviation of 2.76 cm in filtered SSH differences between platforms—validating both the system design and data processing methodology. This experiment successfully demonstrates the performance of calibration equipment, preliminarily verifies the effectiveness of ground-based calibration data processing techniques, and further confirms the technical viability of establishing an ocean altimetry satellite calibration site around Qianliyan islet.

The Earth’s time-variable gravity field holds significant research and application value. However, satellite gravimetry missions such as GRACE and GRACE-FO face limitations in spatial resolution when detecting monthly gravity fields, while traditional radar altimeters lack the observational efficiency needed for monthly gravity anomaly inversion. These limitations hinder further exploration and application of the Earth’s time-variable gravity field. Leveraging its advantages, such as rapid global coverage, high revisit frequency, and low cost for constellation formation, spaceborne GNSS-R technology holds the potential to address the observational efficiency gaps of traditional radar altimeters. This study presents the first assessment of the capability of spaceborne GNSS-R interferometric altimetry for high spatial resolution monthly marine gravity anomaly inversion through simulations. The results indicate that under the PARIS Operational scenario of a single GNSS-R satellite (a spaceborne GNSS-R interferometric altimetry scenario proposed by Martin-Neira), a 30′ grid resolution marine gravity anomaly can be inverted with an accuracy of 4.93 mGal using one month of simulated data. For a dual-satellite constellation, the grid resolution improves to 20′, achieving an accuracy of 4.82 mGal. These findings underscore the promise of spaceborne GNSS-R interferometric altimetry technology for high spatial resolution monthly marine gravity anomaly inversion.

Accurate estimation of regional sea-level trends and accelerations requires adequate quantification of their uncertainties. However, measurement and processing uncertainties in regional estimates remain poorly characterized. We constructed an error variance–covariance matrix incorporating major satellite-altimetry errors, including inter-mission offsets, wet tropospheric correction, glacial isostatic adjustment, orbit, reference-frame, and early-TOPEX errors, with spatially dependent uncertainty parameters evaluated separately for each region. The method was applied to regional sea-level records constructed from TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, Jason-2, Jason-3, and Sentinel-6A along-track observations over the China Seas and their Adjacent Oceans (CSA) from January 1993 to May 2026. The CSA sea-level trend is 4.032 ± 0.323 mm yr⁻¹, while the acceleration is −0.013 ± 0.033 mm yr⁻² (covariance-propagated 90% uncertainties), indicating a persistent rise but no acceleration distinguishable from zero. Across the Bohai, Yellow, East China, and South China Seas, trends range from 3.603 to 4.231 mm yr⁻¹, whereas accelerations range from −0.020 to 0.056 mm yr⁻², revealing spatial differences in both quantities and greater regional variability in acceleration. Covariance-propagated and residual-based intervals differ, demonstrating that they characterize different aspects of parameter uncertainty. Explicit propagation of identifiable measurement and processing error covariance provides a traceable basis for quantifying uncertainties in regional sea-level trend and acceleration estimates.