An improved determination of the orbits of the Martian satellites
Abstract
Based upon an improved model for the motions of Phobos and Deimos and using all the available ground-based and spacecraft observations, the orbits of the two satellites have been accurately determined. The orbital parameters agree closely with the solutions of other investigators, and the estimates of various physical parameters of Mars compare well with commonly accepted values. An analysis using subsets of the data and three different models for the Mars gravitational field leads to the conclusion that the 1-sigma position uncertainty in the Phobos ephemeris in early 1989 is about 20 km. The initial observations made by the Phobos-2 spacecraft indicate that the accuracy is, in fact, better.
- Publication:
-
Orbital Mechanics and Mission Design
- Pub Date:
- 1989
- Bibcode:
- 1989ommd.proc..469M
- Keywords:
-
- Mars Satellites;
- Orbit Calculation;
- Satellite Orbits;
- Deimos;
- Phobos;
- Planet Ephemerides;
- Astrodynamics