• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2011

The needs for satellite formation flying are gradually increasing to perform the advanced space missions in remote sensing and observation of the space or Earth. Formation flying in low Earth orbit can perform the scientific missions that cannot be realized with a single spacecraft. One of the various techniques of satellite formation flying is the determination of the precise baselines between the satellites within the formation, which has to be in company with the precision validation. In this paper, the baseline of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) A and B was determined with the real global positioning system (GPS) measurements of GRACE satellites. And baseline precision was validated with the batch and sequential processing methods using K/Ka-band ranging system (KBR) biased range measurements. Because the proposed sequential method validate the baseline precision, removing the KBR bias with the epoch difference instead of its estimation, the validating data (KBR biased range) are independent of the data validated (GPS-baseline) and this method can be applied to the real-time precision validation. The result of sequential precision validation was 1.5~3.0 mm which is similar to the batch precision validation.

• 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.26 no.1
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• pp.89-98
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• 2009

In this study, the YLPODS (Yonsei Laser-ranging Precision Orbit Determination System) is developed for POD using SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging) NP (Normal Point) observations. The performance of YLPODS is tested using SLR NP observations of TOPEX/POSEIDON and CHAMP satellite. JPL's POE (Precision Orbit Ephemeris) is assumed to be true orbit, the measurement residual RMS (Root Mean Square) and the orbit accuracy (radial, along-track, cross-track) are investigated. The validation of POD using GPS (Global Positioning System) raw data is achieved by YLPODS performance and highly accurate SLR NP observations. YGPODS (Yonsei GPS-based Precision Orbit Determination System) is used for generating GPS based precise orbits for TOPEX/POSEIDON. The initial orbit for YLPODS is derived from the YGPODS results. To validate the YGPODS results the range residual of the first adjustment of YLPODS is investigated. The YLPODS results using SLR NP observations of TOPEX/POSEIDON and CHAMP satellite show that the range residual is less than 10 cm and the orbit accuracy is about 1 m level. The validation results of the YGPODS orbits using SLR NP observations of the TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite show that the range residual is less than 10 cm. This result predicts that the accuracy of this GPS based orbits is about 1m level and it is compared with JPL's POE. Thus this result presents that the YLPODS can be used for POD validation using SLR NP observations such as STSAT-2 and KOMPSAT-5.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.221-228
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• 2015

To protect and manage the Korean space assets including satellites, it is important to have precise positions and orbit information of each space objects. While Korea currently lacks optical observatories dedicated to satellite tracking, the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) is planning to establish an optical observatory for the active generation of space information. However, due to geopolitical reasons, it is difficult to acquire an adequately sufficient number of optical satellite observatories in Korea. Against this backdrop, this study examined the possible locations for such observatories, and performed simulations to determine the differences in precision of optical orbit estimation results in relation to the relative baseline distance between observatories. To simulate more realistic conditions of optical observation, white noise was introduced to generate observation data, which was then used to investigate the effects of baseline distance between optical observatories and the simulated white noise. We generated the optical observations with white noise to simulate the actual observation, estimated the orbits with several combinations of observation data from the observatories of various baseline differences, and compared the estimated orbits to check the improvement of precision. As a result, the effect of the baseline distance in combined optical GEO satellite observation is obvious but small compared to the observation resolution limit of optical GEO observation.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.26.2-26.2
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• 2008

YLPODS (Yonsei Laser-ranging Precise Orbit Determination System) is POD system using SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging) data. YLPODS is developed for two main purposes. The first purpose is to verify the result of POD using GPS data. The second purpose is to perform POD using only SLR data. In this study, YLPODS performance test is presented for checking the reliability of POD using only SLR data. To perform POD, the information of CHAMP and TOPEX mission is applied and SLR NP (Normal Point) data is used. The test is performed by checking both range precision and 3D accuracy (radial, along, cross direction). To confirm of 3D accuracy, CHAMP GENESIS orbit and TOPEX JPL orbit of NASA are used.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.183-196
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• 1998

The Synthetic Aperture Radar(SAR) image and the Digital Elevation Model(DEM) of an target area are put into use to generate three dimensional image map. An method of image map generation is explained. The orbit and attitude determination of satellite makes it possible to model signal acquisition configuration precisely, which is a key to mapping image coordinates to geographic coordinates of concerned area. An application is made to RADARSAT in the purpose of testing its validity. To determine the orbit, zero Doppler range is used. And to determine the attitude, Doppler centroid frequency, which is the frequency observed when target is put in the center of antenna's view, is used. Conventional geocoding has been performed on the basis of direct method(mapping image coordinates to geographic coordinates), but in this reserch the inverse method(mapping from geographic coordinates to image coordinates) is taken. This paper shows that precise signal acquisition modeling based on the orbit and attitude determination of satellite as a platform leads to a satellite-centered accurate geocoding process. It also shows how to model relative motion between space-borne radar and target. And the relative motion is described in ECIC(earth-centered-initial coordinates) using Doppler equation and signal acquisition geometry.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.351-362
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• 2012

We made a study on real-time determination method for relative position using the laser-measured distance data between satellites. We numerically performed the determination of relative position in accordance with extended Kalman filter algorithm using the vectors obtained through nonlinear equation of relative motion, laser simulator for distance measurement, and attitude determination of chief satellite. Because the spherical parameters of relative distance and direction are used, there occur some changes in precision depending on changes in relative distance when determining the relative position. As a result of simulation, it was possible to determine the relative position with several millimeter-level errors at a distance of 10 km, and sub-millimeter level errors at a distance of 1 km. In addition, we performed the determination of relative position assuming the case that global positioning system data was not received for long hours to see the impact of determination of chief satellite orbit on the determination of relative position. The determination of precise relative position at a long distance carried out in this study can be used for scientific mission using the satellite formation flying.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.270-278
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• 2014

This paper describes an improvement of space objects orbit prediction. To screen possible collisions between operational satellites and space objects, the TLE (Two-Line Element) was used as pseudo-measurement and than the orbit determination and orbit prediction were performed through the flight dynamics system. For determining the orbits, the state vectors were assumed by a series of TLEs within a certain period. The propagation error was analyzed according to the fitting period and a number of pseudo-observations. In order to find out the improvement of orbit prediction with the proposed method, KOMPSAT-2, 3 having the precise orbit in the meter-level range were first applied. Then the result applied to space objects under the same conditions was analyzed. As a result of the RMS error comparison with the orbit prediction of space object, the precision of orbit prediction was improved by approximately 90% for seven days prediction. The improved orbit prediction of space objects can be utilized in the daily analysis for initial screening of the close space objects at high risk.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.437-444
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• 2009

A bi-directional, multi-step numerical integrator is developed to determine the GPS (Global Positioning System) orbit based on a dynamic approach, which shows micrometer-level accuracy at GPS altitude. The acceleration due to the planets other than the Moon and the Sun is so small that it is replaced by the empirical forces in the Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP) model. The satellite orbit parameters are estimated with the least-squares adjustment method using both the integrated orbit and the published IGS (International GNSS Service) precise orbit. For this estimation procedure, the integration should be applied to the partial derivatives of the acceleration with respect to the unknown parameters as well as the acceleration itself. The accuracy of the satellite orbit is evaluated by the RMS (Root Mean Squares error) of the residuals calculated from the estimated orbit parameters. The overall RMS of orbit error during March 2009 was 5.2 mm, and there are no specific patterns in the absolute orbit error depending on the satellite types and the directions of coordinate frame. The SRP model used in this study includes only the direct and once-per-revolution terms. Therefore there is errant behavior regarding twice-per-revolution, which needs further investigation.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.123-129
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• 2023

This paper presents an analysis of the trans-lunar trajectory insertion performance of the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), the first lunar exploration spacecraft of the Republic of Korea. The successful launch conducted on August 4, 2022 (UTC), utilized the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The trans-lunar trajectory insertion performance plays a crucial role in ensuring the overall mission success by directly influencing the spacecraft's onboard fuel consumption. Following separation from the launch vehicle (LV), a comprehensive analysis of the trajectory insertion performance was performed by the KPLO flight dynamics (FD) team. Both orbit parameter message (OPM) and orbit determination (OD) solutions were employed using deep space network (DSN) tracking measurements. As a result, the KPLO was accurately inserted into the ballistic lunar transfer (BLT) trajectory, satisfying all separation requirements at the target interface point (TIP), including launch injection energy per unit mass (C3), right ascension of the injection orbit apoapsis vector (RAV), and declination of the injection orbit apoapsis vector (DAV). The precise BLT trajectory insertion facilitated the smoother operation of the KPLO's remainder mission phase and enabled the utilization of reserved fuel, consequently significantly enhancing the possibilities of an extended mission.