Data Reduction with Least Squares Differential Correction Using Equinoctial Elements
Abstract
This study investigates earth satellite orbit estimation on a track of range, azimuth, and elevation data from a single tracking station. The estimation routine is a least squares batch filter based solely on two-body orbital motion. Using equinoctial elements for the reference orbit avoids the numerical difficulties of the classical elements at eccentricities near zero and inclinations near zero or 90 degrees. Orbits for Mir, DMSP, Explorer, Cosmos, and GPS are investigated. The goal of this study is to reduce orbit information from observations (range, azimuth, and elevation) to an element set and a covariance matrix without considering perturbation effects. The results indicate that the lower orbiting earth satellites had large J2 perturbations on the equinoctial elements causing the differential corrector to diverge. Higher orbiting satellites had minimal J2 effects and the correction process sufficiently extracted all information from the data and successfully reduced the observations to an element set and a covariance matrix.... Equinoctial elements, Differential correction, Least squares method, Data reduction, Batch processing, Earth orbits, Two-Body motion.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA259004
Entities
People
- Michael S. Wasson
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology