The ability of radar altimeters to measure the distance from a satellite to the ocean surface with a precision of the order of 2 cm imposes unique requirements for the orbit determination accuracy. The orbit accuracy requirements will be especially demanding for the joint NASA/CNES Ocean Topography Experiment (Topex/Poseidon). For this mission, a radial orbit accuracy of 13 centimeters will be required for a mission period of three to five years. This is an order of magnitude improvement in the accuracy achieved during any previous satellite mission. This investigation considers the factors which limit the orbit accuracy for the Topex mission. Particular error sources which are considered include the geopotential, the radiation pressure and the atmospheric drag model.


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    Title :

    Precision orbit determination for Topex


    Contributors:
    Tapley, B. D. (author) / Schutz, B. E. (author) / Ries, J. C. (author) / Shum, C. K. (author)

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1990-01-01



    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English


    Keywords :


    Precision orbit determination for Topex

    Tapley, B.D. / Schutz, B.E. / Ries, J.C. et al. | Elsevier | 1989


    Precision orbit determination for the TOPEX/Poseidon mission

    NEREM, R. / MARSHALL, J. / PUTNEY, B. et al. | AIAA | 1992


    Precision orbit determination using TOPEX/Poseidon TDRSS observations

    Teles, Jerome / Putney, B. / Phelps, J. et al. | NTRS | 1993


    GPS-based precision orbit determination - A Topex flight experiment

    Melbourne, William G. / Davis, Edgar S. | NTRS | 1988


    Automated Precision Orbit Determination for Topex/Poseidon with GPS

    Wu, S. C. / Muellerschoen, R. J. / Bertiger, W. I. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1993