Orbit determination from the satellite.

Abstract

This paper presents simple methods for determining moderately eccentric orbits from the satellite; linear combinations of time-of-flight measurements are used exclusively. The method is based on a third-order expansion of the satellite law of motion in terms of orbital eccentricity €. Thus, the approximation is very good for e < 0.1. The worst-case error in determining the center of the earth with these methods is | e 2 rad. A simple technique, which is insensitive to systematic sensor errors, is proposed to circularize an orbit automatically. Another application is the automatic station-keeping of satellites, which has been realized for the first time, using the ideas of this paper, in the recently launched Lincoln Experimental Satellite LES-6. With respect to the effect of spin-or yaw-axis misalignment on the orbit determination accuracy, a ^worst-case error of ~ 0.5° in anomaly is seen to result from 1.0°m isalignment.

Automatic Orbit Control of the Lincoln Experimental Satellite Les-6

“…x 8 (t) A,eJ wt + A^-J" 1 + B H + B-t + | ZK5-sin2A We can write the general solution to (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27) by letting the coefficients of the linearized solution, Eq. (11-31), be functions of time:…”