Abstract The tumbling motion of defunct satellite TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) is governed by the μ-scale Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP) torque that spun up the satellite from the initial, nadir-pointing to the current fast spinning state [1]. In this paper, we advance the methods of Quanta Photogrammetry (QPM) in an effort to determine satellite attitude parameters – the inertial orientation of the body angular momentum vector , the rotational phase and rate as well as the object pole coordinates with respect to ; the determined pole offset is 3.52°. The presented data support the hypothesis that the full characteristics of the satellite attitude dynamics can be obtained from a single radiant photogram measured by the photon-counting system of the Graz Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) Observatory during an overhead pass. The analysis of the observed radiant signature of T/P gives the elevation angle of the normal vector to the solar array front surface at −1.7°, RMS = 0.63°, in the spacecraft body-centered reference frame. This information, along with the pole position, is used to model the SRP forces and torques on the satellite and determine the T/P moment of inertia , by best-fitting long-term spin simulation to the observed trend.
Highlights Quanta Photogrammetry allows for the full attitude state reconstruction of a tumbling space object. The pole coordinates of tumbling TOPEX/Poseidon with respect to its rotational angular momentum vector are determined. The rotational inertia of TOPEX/Poseidon is obtained with the physics-based force and torque simulations.
Full attitude state reconstruction of tumbling space debris TOPEX/Poseidon via light-curve inversion with Quanta Photogrammetry
Acta Astronautica ; 187 ; 115-122
2021-06-22
8 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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