Orbit information of predetermined accuracy and its sharing in the space situational awareness context

Abstract

A method to deduce orbit solutions of predetermined accuracy with respect to a reference orbit is presented. The idea is to guarantee the applicability to all orbits and provide both the orbit and the covariance matrix with a constrained method error. Such a solution may be useful, if different users expect different levels of accuracy or have limited privileges to access high-precision data. The method proposed in this paper performs a non-linear least squares fit to the catalogued reference orbit with an modified force model. Subsequently, that solution is subjected to an ephemeris compression method and the results thereof can be provided to the users in terms of Chebyshev polynomial coefficients, after being put in a standardised data message. One of the main advantages is that there is no need for a propagation on the user's side anymore. The orbit information is obtained directly from the series representation in the data message for any time in the in the provided interval. Moreover, the orbit theory used in the orbit determination and catalog maintenance is not required to be shared or synchronized with the community any longer.