A new radiation pressure model of the relay satellite of SELENE has been developed. The shape of the satellite was assumed to be a combination of a regular octagonal pillar and a column. Radiation forces acting on each part of the spacecraft were calculated independently and summed vectorially to obtain the mean acceleration of the satellite center of mass. We incorporated this new radiation pressure model into the orbit analysis software GEODYN-II and simulated the tracking data reduction process of the relay satellite. We compared two models: one is the new radiation pressure model developed in this work and the other a so-called "cannonball model" where the shape of the satellite is assumed to be a sphere. By the analysis of simulated two-way Doppler tracking data, we found that the new radiation pressure model reduces the observation residuals compared to the cannonball model. Moreover, we can decrease errors in the estimated lunar gravity field coefficients significantly by use of the new radiation pressure model.
Eight years of Ajisai SLR data were processed to determine the terrestrial reference frame and its time evolution. The typical precision and accuracy of the estimated geocenter position averaged over a year determined from a oneyear Ajisai SLR data set are 1 cm and 1.5 cm, respectively. The baselines between SLR stations away from plate boundaries show rates of change that are in good agreement with NUVEL-1A, ITRF93 and LAGEOS results but significant deviations from geologically determined plate motion models are found for stations in plate boundary regions. Velocities of the observation stations were estimated by a weighted least squares method. The Simosato SLR station, located 100 km away from the plate boundary between the Eurasian plate and the Philippine Sea plate, moves in the direction of the subduction of the Philippine Sea plate with respect to the Eurasian plate, which infers strong coupling of the two plates at the boundary. The motion of other stations at plate boundary regions is also discussed. This study is the first attempt to use Ajisai SLR data to determine the global terrestrial reference frame and its variation, thus independent of the previous SLR studies most of which were based on LAGEOS SLR analyses.
The solar radiation pressure model for the sub-satellites RSAT and VSAT in the SELENE project is improved to correct the mean acceleration due to an evolving tip-off of the spin during the life time of satellites. The shape of the satellites is assumed to be a regular octagonal pillar. Solar radiation pressure force components acting on each surface element of the satellite are calculated independently and summed vectorially during a total period of Euler's free nutation of the satellite to obtain the mean acceleration of the satellite center of mass. The Doppler tracking data reduction process for the RSAT is simulated after incorporating the modified model into the orbit analysis software. Comparing with two other types of solar radiation pressure models, the standard cannonball model and a non tip-off model, it is found that when the tip-off becomes larger than 5• /s, the orbit determination result of using the modified model is better than the results of using other ones.
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