Lunar gravity derived from long-period satellite motion ? A proposed method

Abstract

A new method has been devised to determine the spherical harmonic coefficients of the lunar gravity field. This method consists of a two-step data reduction and estimation process. In the first step, a weighted least-squares empirical orbit determination scheme is applied to Doppler tracking data from lunar orbits to estimate longpperiod Kepler elements and rates. Each of the Kepler elements is represented by an independent function of time. The long-period perturbing effects of the Earth, Sun, and solar radiation are explicitly modeled in this scheme. Kepler element variations estimated by this empirical processor are then ascribed to the non-central lunar gravitation features. Doppler data are reduced in this manner for as many orbits as are available. In the second step, the Kepler element rates are used as input to a second least-squares processor that estimates lunar gravity coefficients using the long-period Lagrange perturbation equations. Pseudo Doppler data have been generated simulating two different lunar orbits. This analysis included the perturbing effects of the L1 lunar gravity field, the Earth, the Sun, and solar radiation pressure. Orbit determinations were performed on these data and long-period orbital elements obtained. The Kepler element rates from these solutions were used to recover L1 lunar gravity coefficients. Overall results of this controlled experiment show that lunar gravity coefficients can be accurately determined and that the method is dynamically consistent with long-period perturbation theory.