Some aspects of the ERS-1 radar altimeter calibration
Abstract
The ERS-1 altimeter is capable of measuring the height of the satellite above the sea surface, ice or flat land areas with a precision of a few centimeters. However, the measurements may be corrupted by a constant bias. For the in-orbit calibration of the altimeter a procedure has been developed that is based on the selection of a 3-day repeat orbit, in which the satellite overflies an oceanographic platform in the Adriatic Sea every 3 days. Laser tracking data acquired by a network of European systems are used to compute the altitude of the satellite over this platform. The combination of this computed altitude with the altimeter height measurements and all kinds of local sea and atmospheric measurements taken at the platform provides an estimate of the altimeter bias. This paper addresses some aspects of the calibration concept and presents some intermediate results of the calibration analysis.
- Publication:
-
Montreal International Astronautical Federation Congress
- Pub Date:
- October 1991
- Bibcode:
- 1991mont.iafcW....S
- Keywords:
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- Calibrating;
- Ers-1 (Esa Satellite);
- Radio Altimeters;
- Satellite Altimetry;
- Instrument Errors;
- Orbit Calculation;
- Satellite Orbits;
- Spacecraft Instrumentation