Reconstruction of NICER-observed crab pulsar profiles during earth orbit using a semi-physical experimental system

X-ray pulsar navigation (XNAV) is a critical technique for spacecraft navigation in deep space, capitalizing on the precise timing properties of X-ray pulsars. Despite extensive research in pulsar observations, signal processing algorithms, and data fusion algorithms, existing technology suffers from immature algorithms, leading to positioning errors and inaccurate accuracy, which significantly hampers navigation effectiveness. In order to facilitate more refined research into navigation algorithms, this paper proposes a method that utilizes a semi-physical experimental system for profile reconstruction, with the goal of simulating pulsar behavior on Earth. By integrating precise X-ray pulse generation, detection systems and signal processing, the reconstruction of Crab pulsar profiles has been successfully achieved. These reconstructed profiles exhibit remarkably high fidelity with parameters disclosed by NASA, boasting a profile reconstruction coefficient of 0.99849. The mean error between parameters provided by NASA and those derived from semi-physical experimentation is 17.11[Formula: see text]ns, with a standard deviation of 254.59[Formula: see text]ns. This validation confirms the feasibility and reliability of conducting experiments using the semi-physical simulation system. Such a system lays the groundwork for advancing pulsar navigation technology, facilitating improved spacecraft positioning and trajectory determination in deep space exploration endeavors.