ACCURACY IMPROVEMENT OF MARTIAN PROBE BY POST-ESCAPE CORRECTION AND IMPROVED DETERMINATION OF THE ASTRONOMICAL CONSTANT,

Abstract

The principal conclusion of the previous investigation of the error coefficients of a Mars probe and of the effect of the uncertainty of the astronomical unit on the probable error near Mars was that miss distances of well over a million miles might occur as a result of purely ballistic launching without post-escape correction (ref. 1). This report discusses several approaches to determine the probe's orbit more correctly after escape from the Earth, based in part on terrestrial and spaceborne measurements by the probe and in part on improved determination of the astronomical constant during the transfer. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1958
Accession Number
AD0830434

Entities

People

  • K. A. Ehricke

Organizations

  • General Dynamics

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Coefficients
  • Errors
  • Instrumentation
  • Launching
  • Mars Probes
  • Measurement
  • Measuring Instruments
  • Miss Distance
  • Probes
  • Spaceborne
  • Uncertainty

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster
  • Space - Orbital Debris