Orbit determination

Definition
Estimation of the trajectory by means of measurements.

Objectives
Š Operation of satellites (station positioning, station keeping)
To compute manoeuvres, you should know where the satellite is !

Š Scientific studies
Accurate determination gives access to model parameters (e.g. gravitational field coefficients)

Š Determination of locations on the ground

Example : GPS

Mastère spécialisé CNS par satellites module CNS 03 OD1

Post graduate course in satellite CNS ENAC 2002-2003
 Orbit determination (2)
Orbit prediction
• By means of models, knowing initial conditions (position and velocity) :
– analytical models,
– numerical integration of the forces...

 Measurements
• Measurements = external information on the actual trajectory
• Pre-processing often needed :
– to remove calibration biases, and/or various perturbations on the signal,
– to express the measurement expected by the orbit processing program (e.g. Doppler shift and not cycle count)

 Position/velocity fit using the measurements

• This implies :
– modelling the measurements,
– modelling the connection between the measurements and the parameters defining the trajectory
(position/velocity or orbital parameters), that is : how a change of the orbital parameters would affect the
measurements ?
– having a means to compute the corrections on the orbital parameters considering the measurements.

Mastère spécialisé CNS par satellites module CNS 03 OD2

Post graduate course in satellite CNS ENAC 2002-2003
 Trajectory fit (principles)
Modelling
Š The model equations (measurements + satellite dynamics) have the form :
M(t) = Mtheo(t) + noise
Mtheo(t) = h(P, V, measurement model parameters)
P,V(t) = φ(P, V, t0, orbit model parameters)

 The problem is to estimate P, V plus some other not well known parameters
(e.g. calibration biases, drag or solar pressure coefficient…)

2 main methods used :

Š Least squares
• used for batch processing (arc length of several days)
Š Kalman Filter
• used for real-time orbit determination (new orbit estimate for each new measurement)

Mastère spécialisé CNS par satellites module CNS 03 OD3

Post graduate course in satellite CNS ENAC 2002-2003
 DIODE
“Détermination Immédiate d ’orbite par DORIS Embarqué “

Utilises the DORIS Doppler measurements

Is part of the on-board DORIS receiver
Operational on SPOT4 since Mars 1998, and is used to locate the images precisely
Generates updated position and velocity every 10 seconds
A Kalman filter is used. The orbital model consists of :
Š Terrestrial gravitation field up to 40th degree
Š Gravitational potential of the Sun and Moon
Š Solar pressure
Accuracy :
Š 3 to 5 meters in every direction
Š 1 m expected on ENVISAT or JASON

Mastère spécialisé CNS par satellites module CNS 03 OD4

Post graduate course in satellite CNS ENAC 2002-2003
 Precise orbit determination for
TOPEX POSEIDON
Objective
The Distance from the Earth centre to the satellite must be known very accurately for the
altimeter to be able to measure the altitude of the sea level to within a few centimeters.
Measurements (CNES processing)
DORIS and/or Laser
Force model used
Potential due to Earth (up to degree 70), Moon, Sun, planets, effects of tides (Sea and
Earth), Solar pressure, Atmospheric drag (both using a 3D model of the satellite), empirical
forces.
State Vector
Position and velocity, solar pressure coefficient, empirical forces parameters, frequency
biases and tropospheric correction.
Accuracy
Around 3 cm in the radial direction (ZOOM software).

Mastère spécialisé CNS par satellites module CNS 03 OD5

Post graduate course in satellite CNS ENAC 2002-2003
 DIOGENE
“Détermination Immédiate d ’orbite par GPS et Navigateur Embarqué “

Onboard orbit determination using the GPS pseudo-ranges and integrated phase
measurements.
Generates updated orbital parameters (+ clock bias, and manœuvre components)
every 30 seconds
Force model : terrestrial potential (up to 40th degree) and solar pressure
Runs on HETE satellite (first results obtained at the end of November 2000), will
be used on STENTOR (Alcatel TOPSTAR 3000 receiver)
Accuracy (still expected as not enough data analysed yet) : around 10 meters for
LEO orbits.
Is planned to be used in combination with on-board autononous station keeping on
STENTOR and on a CNES micro satellite (launch expected in 2002).

Mastère spécialisé CNS par satellites module CNS 03 OD6

Post graduate course in satellite CNS ENAC 2002-2003
 GEO Orbit Determination
using pseudo ranges
It was part of EURIDIS project. Now it is part of EGNOS test-bed, and is
still in operation (as an experiment).

Principle :
Š Uses the pseudo-range measurements (same as
for GPS) received by 3 ground stations, and MCC TOULOUSE

emitted by a “navigation payload” onboard the GRS and NLES AUSSAGUEL

satellite. GRS KOUROU

INMARSAT AOR-E

Š The “navigation payload” sends back the signal

it receives from the ground ; the GEO emission
time must be synchronized with the ground
GRS HARTEBEESHOEK

reference time (a constant bias may be determined AOR-E Coverage

Figure 1: implementation of EURIDIS

by OD).
Š The ground stations local reference times are
carefully synchronized (using GPS) with respect to
the system reference time.

Mastère spécialisé CNS par satellites module CNS 03 OD7

Post graduate course in satellite CNS ENAC 2002-2003
 GEO orbit determination
using pseudo ranges
The measurement model (for the pseudo range) is :
m = d / c + δtropo + δiono + δSagnac+ δreception+ ∆Tranging/ GNSS − ∆Tref / GNSS + δPLD
(including signal correction of atmosphere perturbations, emission delay by the GEO and relative
synchronization correction).

State vector :
Position/velocity, emission bias, solar pressure coefficient

 Accuracy :
Š 7.5 m (1σ) on the radial direction
Š checked by the consistency of orbit residuals

NB : Close to “Pseudolites experiment”

Š 3 ground stations send a “GPS like” signal to the satellite
Š will be experimented on STENTOR
Mastère spécialisé CNS par satellites module CNS 03 OD8
Post graduate course in satellite CNS ENAC 2002-2003