Space Object Self-Tracker on-Board Orbit Determination Analysis

Abstract

Due to the United States' growing dependence on space based assets and the increasing number of resident space objects (RSO), improvement of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) capabilities is more necessary than ever. As a way to aid in this need, the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is developing the Space Object Self-Tracker (SOS) as a proof-of-concept experimental satellite for RSO precision tracking and collision avoidance system in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Specifically, SOS will use Global Positioning System (GPS) position estimates for on-board orbit determination. Currently, SOS will use the Simplified General Perturbations-4 (SGP4) algorithm as its orbit determination algorithm. This research investigates the use of a modified Special Perturbations (SP) orbit determination algorithm as an alternative means for on-board orbit determination (OD) for the SOS experiment. The research is focused on evaluating performance gains and studying the effects of using GPS navigation solutions as the input observation data on the achievable accuracy of the SP algorithm. The SP OD algorithm was evaluated in testing both simulated and real world observation data. The position estimates generated by the SP algorithm from both GPS navigation solution observations and observations delivered in the J2000 inertial frame were analyzed to determine the effects of the SP algorithm's achievable performance. The accuracy of position estimates generated from the SP algorithm were also compared to those generated by SGP4 algorithm. Analysis leads to the conclusion that the SP algorithm will be beneficial in providing more accurate position estimates for observed GPS navigation solutions. However, the SP algorithm will require improvements to the dynamics modeled in the SP algorithm by specifically including more perturbations such as those due to air drag.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 24, 2016
Accession Number
AD1054159

Entities

People

  • Stacie M. Flamos

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Astronautics
  • Department Of Defense
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Kalman Filters
  • Low Earth Orbits
  • Mathematical Filters
  • Military Research
  • Navigation
  • Payload
  • Precision-Guided Munitions
  • Satellite Orbits
  • Space Debris
  • Space Objects
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Orbits

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Neural Network Machine Learning.
  • Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Technology.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris
  • Space - Space Objects