Satellite Ephemeris Correction via Remote Site Observation for Star Tracker Navigation Performance Improvement

Abstract

This thesis analyzed a method to correct for satellite ephemeris to be used in celestial navigation applications. This correction is the measured angle difference between the expected location of the satellite, which is given by propagating publicly available Two-Line Element sets (TLE), and their observed angles from a precisely known reference site. Therefore, the angle difference can be attributed completely to satellite ephemeris error assuming instrument error was accounted for. The intent is to calculate this correction from the reference site and relate it to remote sites that have visibility of the same satellite, but where its own location is known with some uncertainty. The effects of increased baseline distances from the reference site are studied, as well as time delays.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2016
Accession Number
AD1053802

Entities

People

  • Jorge E Diaz

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Altimeters
  • Altitude
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Celestial Navigation
  • Data Processing
  • Department Of Defense
  • Earth Orbits
  • Geometry
  • Global Navigation Satellite Systems
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Image Processing
  • Inertial Measurement Units
  • Inertial Navigation
  • Inertial Navigation Systems
  • Kalman Filters
  • Low Earth Orbits
  • Measurement
  • Navigation
  • Orbits
  • Simulations
  • Space Objects
  • Star Trackers
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Radar Systems Engineering.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris