History of Satellite Orbit Determination at NSWCDD

Abstract

This document provides a detailed technical history of the satellite orbit determination and prediction capabilities developed and the associated satellite programs and analyses supported by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, and its predecessor organizations since the late 1950s. This work started with computing orbits for the first Navy Transit satellites launched, and the establishment of the Space Surveillance Operations Center at the Naval Weapons Laboratory in May 1959 to take advantage of the resident Naval Ordinance Research Calculator computing resource. The Operations Center separated from the Naval Weapons Laboratory in 1961, but the satellite work continued and expanded. Four major generations of orbit determination software systems have been developed over the years: ASTRO, CELEST, OMNIS, and EPOCHA, along with several minor dependent and independent systems. Details of each systems capabilities are provided along with the specific satellite programs each system supported.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 31, 2018
Accession Number
AD1053094

Entities

People

  • Everett R. Swift

Organizations

  • Naval Surface Warfare Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Astronautics
  • Computational Science
  • Computer Programming
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Data Processing
  • Doppler Systems
  • Geodetic Satellites
  • Geography
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Measurement
  • Meteorological Satellites
  • Navigation
  • Operating Systems
  • Satellite Orbits
  • Space Objects
  • Spacecraft Orbits
  • Test And Evaluation
  • World Geodetic System

Readers

  • Computer Science.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.
  • Technical Research and Report Writing.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites