PRECISE LONG RANGE RADAR DISTANCE MEASURING TECHNIQUES

Abstract

An analytical investigation of 200- to 3,000-nautmil baseline radio tracking systems was conducted. The evaluation considered the use of the systems in tracking and guiding earth satellites and lunar spacecraft. Representative error models for several tracking systems were formulated and compared. The comparison showed that systems which measure slant range only, contain fewer sources of error. A tracking system simulation employing computer programs and a high-speed digital computer is described. Use of the tracker simulation to depict the error model of a range-only tracking system, together with representative spacecraft trajectories is discussed. The results of the tracker simulation are presented for a system including survey (tracker location) errors and a system without survey errors. An analysis of a geodetic satellite method of survey in the tracking system is presented. An evaluation of tropospheric propagation effects on the radio measurement of slant range is presented. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 13, 1961
Accession Number
AD0255820

Entities

People

  • C.k. Rutledge
  • R.a. Bowers

Organizations

  • General Dynamics

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Astronautics
  • Birds
  • Climate Change
  • Computational Science
  • Electromagnetic Wave Propagation
  • Geometry
  • Line Of Sight
  • Line Of Sight Propagation
  • Measurement
  • Radio Transmission
  • Refractive Index
  • Regression Analysis
  • Spacecraft
  • Three Dimensional
  • Weather Stations

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Geodesy
  • Radar Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Space