Seasat orbit determination from laser range observations
Abstract
It is pointed out that the Seasat ocean monitoring satellite was the first American satellite designed specially for oceanographic observations. The satellite was launched on June 26, 1978, into a near-circular orbit at an altitude of about 790 km and with an inclination of 108 deg. The Altimeter/Precision Orbit Determination Experiment (ALT/POD) was one of the main experiments performed with Seasat. The POD had the objective to apply the most-advanced orbit computation techniques for a determination of the orbital data. Ground-based radio-frequency and laser tracking procedures were utilized in the experiment. Attention is given to arc selection, a computational model, the quality of an orbit solution, a detailed analysis of the arc 6 results, the results of the other laser data arcs, gravity model improvement, and the positioning of European Doppler stations.
- Publication:
-
Satellite Microwave Remote Sensing
- Pub Date:
- 1983
- Bibcode:
- 1983smrs.book..353W
- Keywords:
-
- Laser Range Finders;
- Optical Tracking;
- Orbital Position Estimation;
- Satellite Orbits;
- Satellite Tracking;
- Seasat Satellites;
- Aerodynamic Drag;
- Gravitational Effects;
- Orbit Calculation;
- Space Communications, Spacecraft Communications, Command and Tracking