A Sensitivity Analysis of Satellite Navigation Using Landmarks

Abstract

This work evaluates the sensitivity of satellite orbit determination using known landmarks to orbital altitude and imaging geometry. Known landmark-based orbit determination is an autonomous navigation technique that uses a satellite's optical observatory to image known landmarks. Measurements for orbit determination are generated by using image processing algorithms to find the location of known landmarks in each image. Previous work stretching back to the Apollo Program has shown landmark navigation to be feasible and evaluated its sensitivity to lighting, inclination, pointing accuracy, image resolution, and number of images collected. Evaluating sensitivity to altitude and imaging geometry is useful for selecting an orbit for the satellite and for tasking the satellite in order to maximize the information gained from each collected image.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 06, 2021
Accession Number
AD1132802

Entities

People

  • Evan M. Ward

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Air Force
  • Algorithms
  • Altitude
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Autonomous Navigation
  • Computational Science
  • Computer Science
  • Earth Orbits
  • Elevation
  • Equations
  • Geometry
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Guidance
  • Image Processing
  • Line Of Sight
  • Low Elevation
  • Maximum Likelihood Estimation
  • Measurement
  • Navigation
  • Observatories
  • Satellite Orbits
  • Spacecraft

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Computer Vision.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris