TY - JOUR
T1 - The challenge of precise orbit determination for STSAT-2C using extremely sparse SLR data
AU - Kim, Young Rok
AU - Park, Eunseo
AU - Kucharski, Daniel
AU - Lim, Hyung Chul
AU - Kim, Byoungsoo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 COSPAR.
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - The Science and Technology Satellite (STSAT)-2C is the first Korean satellite equipped with a laser retro-reflector array for satellite laser ranging (SLR). SLR is the only on-board tracking source for precise orbit determination (POD) of STSAT-2C. However, POD for the STSAT-2C is a challenging issue, as the laser measurements of the satellite are extremely sparse, largely due to the inaccurate two-line element (TLE)-based orbit predictions used by the SLR tracking stations. In this study, POD for the STSAT-2C using extremely sparse SLR data is successfully implemented, and new laser-based orbit predictions are obtained. The NASA/GSFC GEODYN II software and seven-day arcs are used for the SLR data processing of two years of normal points from March 2013 to May 2015. To compensate for the extremely sparse laser tracking, the number of estimation parameters are minimized, and only the atmospheric drag coefficients are estimated with various intervals. The POD results show that the weighted root mean square (RMS) post-fit residuals are less than 10 m, and the 3D day boundaries vary from 30 m to 3 km. The average four-day orbit overlaps are less than 20/330/20 m for the radial/along-track/cross-track components. The quality of the new laser-based prediction is verified by SLR observations, and the SLR residuals show better results than those of previous TLE-based predictions. This study demonstrates that POD for the STSAT-2C can be successfully achieved against extreme sparseness of SLR data, and the results can deliver more accurate predictions.
AB - The Science and Technology Satellite (STSAT)-2C is the first Korean satellite equipped with a laser retro-reflector array for satellite laser ranging (SLR). SLR is the only on-board tracking source for precise orbit determination (POD) of STSAT-2C. However, POD for the STSAT-2C is a challenging issue, as the laser measurements of the satellite are extremely sparse, largely due to the inaccurate two-line element (TLE)-based orbit predictions used by the SLR tracking stations. In this study, POD for the STSAT-2C using extremely sparse SLR data is successfully implemented, and new laser-based orbit predictions are obtained. The NASA/GSFC GEODYN II software and seven-day arcs are used for the SLR data processing of two years of normal points from March 2013 to May 2015. To compensate for the extremely sparse laser tracking, the number of estimation parameters are minimized, and only the atmospheric drag coefficients are estimated with various intervals. The POD results show that the weighted root mean square (RMS) post-fit residuals are less than 10 m, and the 3D day boundaries vary from 30 m to 3 km. The average four-day orbit overlaps are less than 20/330/20 m for the radial/along-track/cross-track components. The quality of the new laser-based prediction is verified by SLR observations, and the SLR residuals show better results than those of previous TLE-based predictions. This study demonstrates that POD for the STSAT-2C can be successfully achieved against extreme sparseness of SLR data, and the results can deliver more accurate predictions.
KW - Orbit prediction
KW - Precise orbit determination
KW - STSAT-2C
KW - Satellite laser ranging
KW - Sparse
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84953792173&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.asr.2015.12.031
DO - 10.1016/j.asr.2015.12.031
M3 - Article
SN - 0273-1177
VL - 57
SP - 1159
EP - 1176
JO - Advances in Space Research
JF - Advances in Space Research
IS - 5
ER -