TY - GEN
T1 - Improved kHz-SLR tracking techniques and orbit quality analysis for LEO-missions
AU - Hausleitner, W.
AU - Kirchner, G.
AU - Pail, R.
AU - Krauss, S.
AU - Goiginger, H.
PY - 2007/2
Y1 - 2007/2
N2 - The Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) is a low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite dedicated to sensing the Earth's gravity field with a very high spatial resolution. Much effort will have to be spent on the precise determination of the complex orbit in order to gain maximum accuracy for the data products. The precise orbit information of low Earth orbiting gravity field missions currently in orbit is mainly provided by GPS/SST, which is operated in a high-low (CHAMP) or in a low-low (GRACE) configuration. All these spacecraft have in common, that they carry laser retro-reflectors (LLRs) on board. This points out the importance of Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) as an independent external tracking instrument. The SLR technique can very efficiently be used for the calibration and validation of low Earth gravity mission products, i.e. to assess the quality of GPS orbits and gravity field solutions, respectively. For the purpose of raising the laser tracking efficiency a project applied by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Satellite Geodesy Department (AAS/SG) and Technical University Graz, Institute of Navigation and Satellite Geodesy (TUG/INAS) was approved and will be nationally funded by a national organisation. The project aims on the one hand to the implementation of optimized kHz-SLR tracking techniques in order to improve the tracking efficiency of LEO-satellites, and on the other hand to the establishment of quality assessment tools for LEO orbits and derived gravity field solutions. The activities focus on a number of hardware upgrades and methodical improvements of the SLR station in order to achieve a faster target acquisition. This increases the number of observations per pass and further improves the normal point accuracy as well as the overall system stability. The quality assessment process considers two aspects: GPS/SST derived orbits will be evaluated using orbital arcs generated from the global set of SLR data in a kinematic and a dynamic mode. Quick-look gravity field solutions (QL-GFA) [1] from SST and SGG data will be provided by TUG/INAS in the frame of the operational GOCE data processing. The quality of these gravity field models can be assessed by analyzing the residuals resulting from orbit adjustments using the corresponding coefficients.
AB - The Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) is a low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite dedicated to sensing the Earth's gravity field with a very high spatial resolution. Much effort will have to be spent on the precise determination of the complex orbit in order to gain maximum accuracy for the data products. The precise orbit information of low Earth orbiting gravity field missions currently in orbit is mainly provided by GPS/SST, which is operated in a high-low (CHAMP) or in a low-low (GRACE) configuration. All these spacecraft have in common, that they carry laser retro-reflectors (LLRs) on board. This points out the importance of Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) as an independent external tracking instrument. The SLR technique can very efficiently be used for the calibration and validation of low Earth gravity mission products, i.e. to assess the quality of GPS orbits and gravity field solutions, respectively. For the purpose of raising the laser tracking efficiency a project applied by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Satellite Geodesy Department (AAS/SG) and Technical University Graz, Institute of Navigation and Satellite Geodesy (TUG/INAS) was approved and will be nationally funded by a national organisation. The project aims on the one hand to the implementation of optimized kHz-SLR tracking techniques in order to improve the tracking efficiency of LEO-satellites, and on the other hand to the establishment of quality assessment tools for LEO orbits and derived gravity field solutions. The activities focus on a number of hardware upgrades and methodical improvements of the SLR station in order to achieve a faster target acquisition. This increases the number of observations per pass and further improves the normal point accuracy as well as the overall system stability. The quality assessment process considers two aspects: GPS/SST derived orbits will be evaluated using orbital arcs generated from the global set of SLR data in a kinematic and a dynamic mode. Quick-look gravity field solutions (QL-GFA) [1] from SST and SGG data will be provided by TUG/INAS in the frame of the operational GOCE data processing. The quality of these gravity field models can be assessed by analyzing the residuals resulting from orbit adjustments using the corresponding coefficients.
KW - Orbit assessment
KW - Satellite laser ranging
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34249682600&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:34249682600
SN - 9290929383
SN - 9789290929383
T3 - European Space Agency, (Special Publication) ESA SP
SP - 149
EP - 152
BT - Proceedings of the 3rd International GOCE User Workshop
T2 - 3rd International GOCE User Workshop
Y2 - 6 November 2006 through 8 November 2006
ER -