Orbit Determination in the Presence of Gravity Model Errors
Abstract
The precise determination of a satellite's position is of prime importance in satellite geodesy and in the use of satellites in studying geodynamics. It is not possible, however, to obtain a precise estimate of the satellite's position if sufficiently large errors exist in the gravity model. In this investigation, the application of a dynamic model compensation method to the problem of estimating the motion of a near-earth satellite in the presence of gravity model errors is described. Based on numerical results obtained in a computer simulation, it is concluded that the algorithm will yield an accurate estimate of the state in the presence of gravity model errors. The effects of the observation type and accuracy, station location and observation batch size on the accuracy of the orbit determination procedure are considered. Finally, it is shown that in addition to an accurate estimate of the position and velocity, the method can be used to obtain an accurate estimate of the unmodeled acceleration components.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0765551
Entities
People
- B. D. Tapley
- B. E. Schutz
- P. E. Connolly
Organizations
- University of Texas at Austin