DETERMINATION OF THE ELEMENTS OF SATELLITE ORBIT BY POSITION AND SPEED,
Abstract
In satellite geodesy it is assumed that the geocentric elements of a satellite's orbit which define the position of the satellite are known at the precise moment in time that the observation is made. Orbital elements can be determined with the required degree of accuracy only if the observed topocentric quantities can be reduced accurately to geocentric values. This reduction requires that the position of the satellite station be known with respect to the earth's center of mass. This is not known, however, and its determination is one of the principal problems in modern geodesy. The present paper analyzes the inaccuracies involved in correcting for parallax in the case of orbital elements computed from one position (three coordinates) and three velocity components. Relations are derived which express the exact geocentric elements. The derived relations are then compared with classical celestial mechanics formulas, taking into account those parameters which define the position of the origin and the direction of the axis of the reference surface used.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 13, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0667851
Entities
People
- Milan Bursa
Organizations
- National Air and Space Intelligence Center