Orbit Determination of VSOP-2 with GPS Measurements

Sien-Chong Wu and Yoaz Bar-Sever

Abstract:	VSOP-2 is a space VLBI mission in a highly elliptic orbit. To perform its science mission, VSOP-2 requires centimeter level orbit determination. In this paper we investigate the ability to satisfy these extreme orbit determination requirement using GPS data with several augmentations. High precision accelerometers are used for connecting orbit solutions at different epochs, especially near the apogee where GPS measurements are scarce. Additionally, GPS-like measurements transmitted by VSOP-2 and acquired by a network further improve the orbit determination accuracy near apogee. A covariance/simulation analysis is carried out to assess the potential orbit determination accuracy with different data assumptions and combinations. The results of this analysis indicates that orbit position at lower altitudes can be determined to sub-cm accuracy with conventional GPS data and moderate quality accelerometry. At higher altitudes, the scarcity of conventional GPS data can be strengthened with an ultra-precise accelerometry and the addition of GPS-like data from 12 ground stations. With proper data combination and filtering process, the centimeter-level accuracy can be expected at all altitudes.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2001) September 11 - 14, 2001 Salt Palace Convention Center Salt Lake City, UT
Pages:	2272 - 2276
Cite this article:	Wu, Sien-Chong, Bar-Sever, Yoaz, "Orbit Determination of VSOP-2 with GPS Measurements," Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2001), Salt Lake City, UT, September 2001, pp. 2272-2276.
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