Direct Density Correction Method: review of results
- Paper number
IAC-06-C1.5.02
- Author
Dr. Vasiliy Yurasov, Space Informatics Analytical Systems JSC, Russia
- Coauthor
Prof. Andrey Nazarenko, Space Observation Center, Russia
- Coauthor
Prof. Kyle Alfriend, Texas A&M University, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Paul J. Cefola, Massachussets Institute of Technology (MIT), United States
- Year
2006
- Abstract
The primary source of errors in orbit determination and prediction for the LEO space objects is the inaccuracy of the upper atmosphere density models. The existing models do not represent the actual density variations with an acceptable accuracy.
A review of results obtained recently by the direct density correction method (DDCM) is given. The DDCM is based on using the available space surveillance system drag data for LEO space objects. The DDCM was first conceived more than 20 years ago. For the last few years the DDCM has been employed by us to construct the atmosphere density corrections using the Two Line Element (TLE) sets as the input observational data. The density corrections for the GOST and NRLMSIS-00 models were generated with a one-day grid over a four-year interval from December 1999 through November 2003. The density corrections were generated from the smoothed ballistic factors resulting from the secondary data processing. The effectiveness of this density correction process was evaluated by comparison of the orbit determination and prediction results obtained with and without taking into account the estimated density variations. A preliminary comparison of the obtained results with the HASDM, alternative approach to density correction, was done.
The statistical characteristics of the observed density corrections and their correlations with different factors were investigated. Approaches for forecasting the density corrections have been proposed.
The applied technique and obtained results can be useful for the solution of a number of practical tasks, including:
- increasing the orbit determination and prediction accuracy of LEO satellites at altitudes up to 600–700 km, including reentry SOs;
- estimation of the errors of the upper atmosphere density models;
- estimation of a priori errors for LEO satellite motion predictions;
- finding the individual SO’s aerodynamic haracteristics;
- improvement of the upper atmosphere density models.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-C1.5.02.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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