Statistical initial orbit determination

Laurence G. Taff; Barry Belkin; G. A. Schweiter; K. Sommar

doi:10.1117/12.45674

1 August 1991 Statistical initial orbit determination

Laurence G. Taff, Barry Belkin, G. A. Schweiter, K. Sommar

Proceedings Volume 1481, Signal and Data Processing of Small Targets 1991; (1991) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.45674
Event: Orlando '91, 1991, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

We abandon, as a futile endeavor, the computation of a meaningful initial orbital element set based on anglesonly data. Rather, for the ballistic missile intitial orbit determination problem in particular, the concept of "launch folders" is extended. This allows one to decouple the observational data from the initial orbit determination problem per se. The observational data is only used to select among the possible orbital element sets in the group of folders. Monte Carlo simulations using up to 7200 orbital element sets are described herein. The results are compared to the true orbital element set and the one a good radar would have been able to produce if co—located with the optical sensor. The simplest version of the new method routinely outperforms the radar initial orbital element set by a factor of two in future miss distance. In addition, not only can one produce a differentially corrected orbital element set via this approach—after only two measurements of direction—one can also calculate an updated, meaningful, six-dimensional covariance array for it. This technique represents a significant advance in initial orbit determination for this problem and the concept can easily be extended to minor planets and artificial satellites.

Citation Download Citation

Laurence G. Taff, Barry Belkin, G. A. Schweiter, and K. Sommar "Statistical initial orbit determination", Proc. SPIE 1481, Signal and Data Processing of Small Targets 1991, (1 August 1991); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.45674

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available