Orbit Determination for a Microsatellite Rendezvous with a Non-Cooperative Target

Abstract

This study investigated the minimum requirements to establish a satellite tracking system architecture for a hostile "parasitic microsatellite" to rendezvous with a larger, non-cooperative target satellite. Four types of tracking systems and their capabilities were reviewed with emphasis on "low-technology" level and/or mobile systems which could be used by technologically unsophisticated state or non-state adversaries. With the tracking system architecture selected, simulated tracking data was processed with a non- linear least squares orbit determination filter to determine and/or update the target satellite's state vector.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADA412751

Entities

People

  • Brian L. Foster

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Astronautics
  • Control Systems
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Earth Orbits
  • Elliptical Orbits
  • Lasers
  • Microsatellites
  • Military Science
  • Satellite Buses
  • Satellite Orbits
  • Small Satellites
  • Space Objects
  • Space Systems
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Orbits

Readers

  • Computer Networking
  • Control Systems Engineering.
  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites
  • Space - Space Objects
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers