Abstract
High repetition-rate satellite laser ranging (SLR) offers new possibilities for the post-processing of the range measurements. We analyze 11 years of kHz SLR passes of the geodetic satellite Ajisai delivered by Graz SLR station (Austria) in order to improve the accuracy and precision of the principal SLR data product - normal points. The normal points are calculated by three different methods: 1) the range residuals accepted by the standard 2.5 sigma filter, 2) the range residuals accepted by the leading edge filter and 3) the range residuals given by the single corner cube reflector (CCR) panels of Ajisai. A comparison of the statistical parameters of the obtained results shows that the selection of the range measurements from the leading edge of the SLR data distribution allows to minimize the satellite signature effect and to reduce the average single-shot RMS per normal point from 15.44 to 4.85 mm. The optical distance between the leading edge mean reflection point and the satellite’s center of mass is 1,023 mm, RMS = 1.7 mm. Further, in addition, we utilize the complete attitude model of Ajisai during the post-processing which enables selection of the range measurements to the single CCR panels of the satellite and the formation of the normal points which most closely approximate the physical distance between the ground station and the center of mass of Ajisai. This method eliminates the satellite signature effect from the distribution of the post-fit range residuals and further improves the average single-shot RMS per normal point to 3.05 mm. The normal point RMS per pass is reduced from 2.97 to 0.06 mm - a value expected for a zero-signature satellite.
Highlights
Experimental geodetic satellite - Ajisai The Experimental Geodetic Satellite Ajisai (Figure 1) was launched on 12 August 1986 by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), currently reorganized as the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
We propose a ‘reflector filter’ which allows us to calculate a physical distance to the single cube reflectors (CCR) panels of Ajisai
In this work, we have calculated normal points using three different post-processing methods: 1) the range residuals accepted by the standard 2.5 sigma filter, 2) the range residuals accepted by the leading edge filter (NPLE) and 3) the range residuals given by the single CCR panels (NPCCR)
Summary
Experimental geodetic satellite - Ajisai The Experimental Geodetic Satellite Ajisai (Figure 1) was launched on 12 August 1986 by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), currently reorganized as the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Objective of the mission is the accurate position determination of fiducial points on the Japanese Islands. The satellite is equipped with 1,436 corner cube reflectors (CCR) for satellite laser ranging (SLR), arranged in the form of 15 rings around the symmetry axis. Ajisai is equipped with 318 mirrors, used in the past to determine the direction to the satellite (Sasaki and Hashimoto 1987). The mirrors have been used for photometric measurements of Ajisai spin (Otsubo et al 1998). The satellite is placed in a quasi-circular orbit of altitude 1,490 km and inclination of 50°
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