Density models for the upper atmosphere

Consideration is given to three contemporary atmospheric density models which have been selected as the best candidates to meet the requirements of satellite missions. The models considered are the Analytic Jacchia-Roberts Model, the Modified Harris-Priester Model, and the U.S.S.R. Cosmos Satellite Derived Density Model. Each of the models and their respective variations is discussed separately, and a comparison of the computational characteristics of the models is presented. Finally, recommended modifications for improving both the computation speed and accuracy are presented.