The GEOSAT spacecraft was launched into a retrograde orbit from the Western Test Range on March 12 1985. The first 18 months of this mission were dedicated to completing the job of high resolution mapping of the marine geoid undertaken by the SEASAT Mission in 1987 and interrupted by its early demise. In September 1986 the geodetic phase of the GEOSAT Mission was completed and the spacecraft was maneuvered into an orbit more suited for oceanography. This phase of the mission is referred to as the GEOSAT Exact Repeat Mission (ERM). This colinear orbit repeats its ground track every 17 days. In order to minimize the effects of geoid uncertainty on the determination of ocean variability derived from GEOSAT altimetry, it is important that the ground tracks from each repeat cycle deviate by one km or less from the mean ground tracks in all other repeat cycles. In order to maintain this spacing it will be necessary to maneuver the spacecraft periodically to compensate for the effects of atmospheric drag. The origin and planning for the ERM are described here together with a discussion of the feasibility of maneuvering and maintaining the spacecraft in an exact repeat orbit. (Reprints)
GEOSAT ERM (Exact Repeat Mission)-Mission Design
1987
16 pages
Report
No indication
English
Spacecraft Trajectories & Flight Mechanics , Marine Geophysics & Geology , Scientific satellites , Orbits , Aerodynamic drag , Altimeters , Atmospheric density , Determination , Feasibility studies , Geodesy , Geoids , Ground level , High resolution , Maneuverability , Maneuvers , Mapping , Oceanography , Oceans , Spacecraft , Test facilities , Variations , Space missions , Transfer trajectories , Paths , Spatial distribution , Reprints , Altimetry , GEOSAT satellite , ERM(Exact Repeat Mission) , Spacecraft maneuvers , Repeat orbits , Ground tracks
The Navy GEOSAT Mission: An overview
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