Vitali Mueller - Development of a satellite orbi simulation toolkit for future geodesy mission

  • Created: 2012-04-28

TitleDevelopment of a satellite orbi simulation toolkit for future geodesy mission

SpeakerVitali Mueller

Albert-Einstein-Institute (AEI), Hannover, Germany

TimeMarch 10th, 2011 at 14:30-16:30 pm

LocationMeeting Room, LCG

 

Abstract

The GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite pair was launched in 2002 to determine Earth's gravitational field by measuring the inter-satellite distance with a K-Band microwave ranging system. The GOCE satellite, equipped with sensitive gradiometer and injected into orbit in March 2009, is another milestone in Earth observation mission. A future geodesy mission could use a laser based inter-satellite link to improve the ranging precision, so recently the Albert- Einstein-Institute began to design a laser interferometer aiming for an accuracy of about 50 nm/sort(Hz). Furthermore an Orbit Simulation Toolkit was developed, to provide parameter like Doppler shifts in laser frequency induced by the relative satellite velocity. His present work on satellite orbit simulations. Next to the extent of the simulator, which supports various perturbation effects like drag and solar radiation pressure,  he present actual methods to model Earth's Gravity field precisely. He describes applications and show simulation results, obtained with the simulator.