• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.295-308
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• 2018

In this study, orbit determination (OD) simulation for the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) was accomplished for investigation of the observational arc-length effect using a sequential estimation algorithm. A lunar polar orbit located at 100 km altitude and $90^{\circ}$ inclination was mainly considered for the KPLO mission operation phase. For measurement simulation and OD for KPLO, the Analytical Graphics Inc. Systems Tool Kit 11 and Orbit Determination Tool Kit 6 software were utilized. Three deep-space ground stations, including two deep space network (DSN) antennas and the Korea Deep Space Antenna, were configured for the OD simulation. To investigate the arc-length effect on OD, 60-hr, 48-hr, 24-hr, and 12-hr tracking data were prepared. Position uncertainty by error covariance and orbit overlap precision were used for OD performance evaluation. Additionally, orbit prediction (OP) accuracy was also assessed by the position difference between the estimated and true orbits. Finally, we concluded that the 48-hr-based OD strategy is suitable for effective flight dynamics operation of KPLO. This work suggests a useful guideline for the OD strategy of KPLO mission planning and operation during the nominal lunar orbits phase.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.327-333
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• 2017

This study presents the orbit determination (OD) of a candidate Korea Regional Navigation Satellite System (KRNSS) using both inter-satellite links (ISLs) and ground observations. The candidate constellation of KRNSS is first introduced. The OD algorithm based on both ISL and ground observation is developed, and consists of three main components: dynamic model for Korean navigation satellites, measurement model for ISLs and ground observations, and the batch least-square filter for estimating OD parameters. As numerical simulations are performed to analyze the OD performances, the present study focuses on investigating the effects of ISL measurements on the OD accuracy of KRNSS. Simulation results show that the use of ISLs can considerably enhance the OD accuracy to one meter (design preference) under certain distributions of ground stations.

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

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.293-306
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• 2019

In this study, the observational arc-length effect on orbit determination (OD) for the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) in the Earth-Moon Transfer phase was investigated. For the OD, we employed a sequential estimation using the extended Kalman filter and a fixed-point smoother. The mission periods, comprised between the perigee maneuvers (PM) and the lunar orbit insertion (LOI) maneuver in a 3.5 phasing loop of the KPLO, was the primary target. The total period was divided into three phases: launch-PM1, PM1-PM3, and PM3-LOI. The Doppler and range data obtained from three tracking stations [included in the deep space network (DSN) and Korea Deep Space Antenna (KDSA)] were utilized for the OD. Six arc-length cases (24 hrs, 48 hrs, 60 hrs, 3 days, 4 days, and 5 days) were considered for the arc-length effect investigation. In order to evaluate the OD accuracy, we analyzed the position uncertainties, the precision of orbit overlaps, and the position differences between true and estimated trajectories. The maximum performance of 3-day OD approach was observed in the case of stable flight dynamics operations and robust navigation capability. This study provides a guideline for the flight dynamics operations of the KPLO in the trans-lunar phase.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.43-52
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• 2004

In this paper, the performance of the KOMPSAT-1 orbit determination (OD) accuracy at the ground station was analyzed by using the flight data. The Bayesian least squares estimation was used for the orbit determination and the assessment of the orbit accuracy was evaluated based on orbit overlap comparisons. We also compared the result from OD using GPS navigation solutions with NORAD TLE and the result from OD using range data. Furthermore, the effect of observation type and OBT drift on the accuracy was investigated. As a consequence, It is shown that the OD accuracy using only GPS position data is on the order of 5m RMS (Root Mean Square) with 4 hrs arc overlap for the 30hr arc and the GPS velocity data is not proper as a observation for the OD due to its inferior quality. The significant deterioration of the accuracy due to the critical clock bias was not founded by means of the comparison of OD result from other observations.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.774-782
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• 2008

An operational orbit determination (OD) and prediction system for the geostationary Communication, Ocean, and Meteorological Satellite (COMS) mission requires accurate satellite positioning knowledge to accomplish image navigation registration on the ground. Ranging and tracking data from a single ground station is used for COMS OD in normal operation. However, the orbital longitude of the COMS is so close to that of satellite tracking sites that geometric singularity affects observability. A method to solve the azimuth bias of a single station in singularity is to periodically apply an estimated azimuth bias using the ranging and tracking data of two stations. Velocity increments of a wheel off-loading maneuver which is performed twice a day are fixed by planned values without considering maneuver efficiency during OD. Using only single-station data with the correction of the azimuth bias, OD can achieve three-sigma position accuracy on the order of 1.5 km root-sum-square.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.271-280
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• 2017

This study presents the application of satellite laser ranging (SLR) to orbit determination (OD) of high-Earth-orbit (HEO) satellites. Two HEO satellites are considered: the Quasi-Zenith Satellite-1 (QZS-1), a Japanese elliptical-inclinedgeosynchronous-orbit (EIGSO) satellite, and the Compass-G1, a Chinese geostationary-orbit (GEO) satellite. One week of normal point (NP) data were collected for each satellite to perform the OD based on the batch least-square process. Five SLR tracking stations successfully obtained 374 NPs for QZS-1 in eight days, whereas only two ground tracking stations could track Compass-G1, yielding 68 NPs in ten days. Two types of station bias estimation and a station data weighting strategy were utilized for the OD of QZS-1. The post-fit root-mean-square (RMS) residuals of the two week-long arcs were 11.98 cm and 10.77 cm when estimating the biases once in an arc (MBIAS). These residuals were decreased significantly to 2.40 cm and 3.60 cm by estimating the biases every pass (PBIAS). Then, the resultant OD precision was evaluated by the orbit overlap method, yielding three-dimensional errors of 55.013 m with MBIAS and 1.962 m with PBIAS for the overlap period of six days. For the OD of Compass-G1, no station weighting strategy was applied, and only MBIAS was utilized due to the lack of NPs. The post-fit RMS residuals of OD were 8.81 cm and 12.00 cm with 49 NPs and 47 NPs, respectively, and the corresponding threedimensional orbit overlap error for four days was 160.564 m. These results indicate that the amount of SLR tracking data is critical for obtaining precise OD of HEO satellites using SLR because additional parameters, such as station bias, are available for estimation with sufficient tracking data. Furthermore, the stand-alone SLR-based orbit solution is consistently attainable for HEO satellites if a target satellite is continuously trackable for a specific period.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.213-223
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• 2017

The deep space orbit determination software (DSODS) is a part of a flight dynamic subsystem (FDS) for the Korean Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), a lunar exploration mission expected to launch after 2018. The DSODS consists of several sub modules, of which the orbit determination (OD) module employs a weighted least squares algorithm for estimating the parameters related to the motion and the tracking system of the spacecraft, and subroutines for performance improvement and detailed analysis of the orbit solution. In this research, DSODS is demonstrated and validated at lunar orbit at an altitude of 100 km using actual Lunar Prospector tracking data. A set of a priori states are generated, and the robustness of DSODS to the a priori error is confirmed by the NASA planetary data system (PDS) orbit solutions. Furthermore, the accuracy of the orbit solutions is determined by solution comparison and overlap analysis as about tens of meters. Through these analyses, the ability of the DSODS to provide proper orbit solutions for the KPLO are proved.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.337-342
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• 2006

The use of GPS receiver at outer space becomes common in low earth orbit. The KOrea Multi-Purpose SATellite-1 (KOMPSAT-1) which was launched in December 1999 has used GPS receiver's navigation solution to perform the Orbit Determination (OD) in the ground. At the circumstance of using only one ground station, the Orbit Determination using GPS receiver is good method. Because the accuracy of navigation solution acquiring directly from GPS receiver is not enough in satellite application such as map generation, post-processing concepts such as the Precise Orbit Determination (POD) are applied to satellite data processing to improve satellite position accuracy. The POD uses GPS receiver's raw measurement data instead of GPS receiver's navigation solution. The KOrea Multi- Purpose SATellite-2 (KOMPSAT-2) system newly uses the POD technique for large scale map generation. The satellite was launched in the end of July 2006. The satellite sends high resolution images in panchromatic band and multi-spectral bands to the ground. The satellite system uses GPS receivers as source of time synchronization and command reference in the satellite, provider of navigation solution for the OD, and provider of raw measurement data for the POD. In this paper, mechanical configuration and operations of the GPS receiver will be presented. The GPS data characteristics of the satellite such as time synchronization, command reference, the OD using GPS receiver's navigation solution, and the POD using GPS receiver's raw measurement data will be presented and analyzed. The enhancement of performance compared with it of the previous satellite will also be analyzed.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2005

The KOMPSAT-1 satellite, launched into a circular sun synchronous orbit on Dec. 21, 1999, entered its$6^{th}$year of successful operation this year. The purposes of the mission are to collect earth images (6.6 m resolution), multi-spectral images of the ocean, and to collect information on the particle environment of the low earth orbit. For normal operation, KOMPSAT-1 orbits are determined using GPS navigation solutions. However, at the start of the life of KOMPSAT-1, the 11-year solar activity cycle was at a maximum. Solar flux was maintained at this level until 2002, and thereafter reduced to a moderate level by 2004. Thus, the OD (Orbit Determination) accuracy has varied according to the solar activity. This paper presents the degree to which the OD accuracy could be degraded during a high solar activity period compared with that of a (relatively) low solar activity period. We investigated the effect of the use of solve-for parameters such as a drag coefficient ($C_D$), solar radiation coefficient ($C_R$), and the general accelerations ($G_A$) on OD accuracy with solar activity. For the evaluation of orbit determination accuracy, orbit overlap comparison is used since no independent orbits of comparable accuracy are available for comparison. The effect of the use of a box-wing model instead of a constant cross-sectional area is also investigated.