During the summer of 1976, the two Viking spacecraft, each consisting of an orbiter-lander combination, were inserted into orbit about Mars. The paper describes the experiences of the Viking Satellite Orbit Determination Team in determining Mars centered ephemerides of the orbiters and positions of the landers from the two-way Doppler and range data, and synthesizes the different phases of the navigation plan which involves pre-flight modeling and error analysis for all Viking navigation functions from launch through landing. The problem of initial orbit convergence is solved by using DPODP's (Double Precision Orbit Determination Program) square-root batch data filter, and gravity models for both Viking I and Viking II were produced from the combination of short arc estimates. The importance of synchronous Viking orbits (with the rotational period of Mars) is stressed and future extended missions of the spacecraft are outlined.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Viking satellite orbit determination


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Aerospace Sciences Meeting ; 1977 ; Los Angeles, CA


    Publication date :

    1977-01-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Viking satellite orbit determination

    HILDEBRAND, C. / CHRISTENSEN, E. / BOGGS, D. et al. | AIAA | 1977


    Viking Satellite Orbit Determination

    C.E. Hildebrand / E.J. Christensen / D.H. Boggs et al. | AIAA | 1978


    A Viking satellite orbit trim strategy

    Hintz, G. R. | NTRS | 1971



    Viking Orbit Trim Maneuvers

    G.R. Hintz / D.L. Farless / M.J. Adams | AIAA | 1980