Publication Date:
2019-06-28
Description:
Methods of analyzing the perturbation due to thermal radiation and determining its effects on the orbits of GPS satellites are presented, with emphasis on the FEM technique to calculate satellite solar panel temperatures which are used to determine the magnitude and direction of the thermal imbalance force. Although this force may not be responsible for all of the force mismodeling, conditions may work in combination with the thermal imbalance force to produce such accelerations on the order of 1.e-9 m/sq s. If submeter accurate orbits and centimeter-level accuracy for geophysical applications are desired, a time-dependent model of the thermal imbalance force should be used, especially when satellites are eclipsing, where the observed errors are larger than for satellites in noneclipsing orbits.
Keywords:
ASTRODYNAMICS
Type:
AAS PAPER 91-188
,
In: Spaceflight mechanics 1991; Proceedings of the 1st AAS(AIAA Annual Spaceflight Mechanics Meeting, Houston, TX, Feb. 11-13, 1991. Pt. 2 (A93-17901 05-13); p. 1243-1255.
Format:
text
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