• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.189-200
• /
• 2015

In this study, we present the results of orbit determination (OD) using satellite laser ranging (SLR) data for the Science and Technology Satellite (STSAT)-2C by a short-arc analysis. For SLR data processing, the NASA/GSFC GEODYN II software with one year (2013/04 - 2014/04) of normal point observations is used. As there is only an extremely small quantity of SLR observations of STSAT-2C and they are sparsely distribution, the selection of the arc length and the estimation intervals for the atmospheric drag coefficients and the empirical acceleration parameters was made on an arc-to-arc basis. For orbit quality assessment, the post-fit residuals of each short-arc and orbit overlaps of arcs are investigated. The OD results show that the weighted root mean square post-fit residuals of short-arcs are less than 1 cm, and the average 1-day orbit overlaps are superior to 50/600/900 m for the radial/cross-track/along-track components. These results demonstrate that OD for STSAT-2C was successfully achieved with cm-level range precision. However its orbit quality did not reach the same level due to the availability of few and sparse measurement conditions. From a mission analysis viewpoint, obtaining the results of OD for STSAT-2C is significant for generating enhanced orbit predictions for more frequent tracking.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry, and Cartography Conference
• /
• 2010.04a
• /
• pp.43-44
• /
• 2010

We present the analysis of space geodetic technique observation, Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), to LAGEOS1 and LAGEOS2 for the definition of the Terrestrial Reference Frame (TRF). The data were analyzed in 7day arcs during about 9 years (2000/01/10 ~ 2008/12/29) using NASA Goddard's GEODYN/SOLVE II software. The comparison of the coordinates between ITRF2005 and TRF solutions determined in this work shows that there is no significant bias.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.275-285
• /
• 2012

In this study, we present preliminary results of precise orbit determination (POD) using satellite laser ranging (SLR) observations for International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) Associate Analysis Center (AAC). Using SLR normal point observations of LAGEOS-1, LAGEOS-2, ETALON-1, and ETALON-2, the NASA/GSFC GEODYN II software are utilized for POD. Weekly-based orbit determination strategy is applied to process SLR observations and the post-fit residuals check, and external orbit comparison are performed for orbit accuracy assessment. The root mean square (RMS) value of differences between observations and computations after final iteration of estimation process is used for post-fit residuals check. The result of ILRS consolidated prediction format (CPF) is used for external orbit comparison. Additionally, we performed the precision analysis of each ILRS station by post-fit residuals. The post-fit residuals results show that the precisions of the orbits of LAGEOS-1 and LAGEOS-2 are 0.9 and 1.3 cm, and those of ETALON-1 and ETALON-2 are 2.5 and 1.9 cm, respectively. The orbit assessment results by ILRS CPF show that the radial accuracies of LAGEOS-1 and LAGEOS-2 are 4.0 cm and 5.3 cm, and the radial accuracies of ETALON-1 and ETALON-2 are 30.7 cm and 7.2 cm. These results of station precision analysis confirm that the result of this study is reasonable to have implications as preliminary results for administrating ILRS AAC.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.269-277
• /
• 2013

In this study, we present results of precise orbital geodetic parameter estimation using satellite laser ranging (SLR) observations for the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) associate analysis center (AAC). Using normal point observations of LAGEOS-1, LAGEOS-2, ETALON-1, and ETALON-2 in SLR consolidated laser ranging data format, the NASA/GSFC GEODYN II and SOLVE software programs were utilized for precise orbit determination (POD) and finding solutions of a terrestrial reference frame (TRF) and Earth orientation parameters (EOPs). For POD, a weekly-based orbit determination strategy was employed to process SLR observations taken from 20 weeks in 2013. For solutions of TRF and EOPs, loosely constrained scheme was used to integrate POD results of four geodetic SLR satellites. The coordinates of 11 ILRS core sites were determined and daily polar motion and polar motion rates were estimated. The root mean square (RMS) value of post-fit residuals was used for orbit quality assessment, and both the stability of TRF and the precision of EOPs by external comparison were analyzed for verification of our solutions. Results of post-fit residuals show that the RMS of the orbits of LAGEOS-1 and LAGEOS-2 are 1.20 and 1.12 cm, and those of ETALON-1 and ETALON-2 are 1.02 and 1.11 cm, respectively. The stability analysis of TRF shows that the mean value of 3D stability of the coordinates of 11 ILRS core sites is 7.0 mm. An external comparison, with respect to International Earth rotation and Reference systems Service (IERS) 08 C04 results, shows that standard deviations of polar motion $X_P$ and $Y_P$ are 0.754 milliarcseconds (mas) and 0.576 mas, respectively. Our results of precise orbital and geodetic parameter estimation are reasonable and help advance research at ILRS AAC.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.159.2-159.2
• /
• 2012

In this study, we propose an effective strategy for precise orbital and geodetic parameter estimation using SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging) observations for ILRS AAC (Associate Analysis Center). The NASA/GSFC GEODYN II software and SLR normal point observations of LAGEOS-1, LAGEOS-2, ETALON-1, and ETALON-2 are utilized for precise orbital and geodetic parameter estimation. Weekly-based precise orbit determination strategy is applied to process SLR observations, and Precise Orbit Ephemeris (POE), TRF (Terrestrial Reference Frame), and EOPs (Earth Orientation Parameters) are obtained as products of ILRS AAC. For improved estimation results, selection strategies of dynamic and measurement models are experimently figured out and configurations of various estimation parameters are also carefully chosen. The results of orbit accuracy assessment of POE and precision analysis of TRF/EOPs for each case are compared with those of existing results. Finally, we find an appropriate strategy for precise orbital and geodetic parameter estimation using SLR observations for ILRS AAC.