The End-to-End System Simulator of GOCE
Abstract
The main payload of the GOCE satellite is the "Gradiometer", an instrument constituted by six ultra sensitive accelerometers for measuring the components of the Earth gravity gradient. The ultimate performance of the accelerometers is not testable on the ground, due to background noise limitations. Moreover, the in-flight performance of the gradiometer depends in an essential way on the drag compensation provided by the spacecraft, also not testable on ground. The End-to-End (E2E) System Simulator of GOCE is the tool utilised for producing the most reliable prediction of the GOCE in-flight performance. The E2E simulator includes a high-fidelity model of the gradiometer, of the spacecraft and of the orbital environment (gravity field, residual atmosphere). It was set up since the early stages of the GOCE programme and continuously updated according to the project evolution, including the characteristics of the payload and spacecraft equipment, derived from tests (when possible) or detailed analyses. This tool allows simulating the in-flight dynamic behaviour of the satellite in various mission phases and the behaviour/output of the payload instruments during initial set up, calibration and science modes. A post-processing module elaborates the raw measurements using the Payload Data Ground Segment algorithms and provides the Level 1b products of the mission, among which the components of the gravity gradients.
- Publication:
-
ESA Living Planet Symposium
- Pub Date:
- December 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010ESASP.686E.392C