Simulation Study of A Low-Low Satellite-to-Satellite Tracking Mission

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dc.contributor.advisorTapley, Byron D.
dc.creatorKim, Jeongrae
dc.date.accessioned2021-05-19T13:46:47Z
dc.date.available2021-05-19T13:46:47Z
dc.date.issued2000-05
dc.description.abstractThe Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) is a dedicated spaceborne mission to map the Earth’s gravity field with unprecedented accuracy. The GRACE mission is planned to launch in 2001, for a lifetime of approximately 5 years. It consists of two satellites, co-orbiting in nearly polar orbit, at approximately 300-500 km altitude, separated by 100-500 km along track. Primary measurements are the range change between the two satellites, which represents the gravity perturbation differences between the two locations. These range changes are measured by a high accuracy microwave raging system. To detect the non-gravitational perturbations, which also affect the range change, three axis accelerometers are used. In this study, full numerical simulations were performed to evaluate the gravity recovery accuracy, and to determine sensitivity of gravity estimation to mission and design parameters. The measurement and dynamic model equations were derived and presented along with the description of the simulation procedure. The error models on two major instruments, the inter-satellite ranging system and accelerometer, were described and their effect on the estimation accuracy were discussed. Series of extensive simulations were performed to analyze the impact of the various simulation parameters, which included the orbit parameters, measurement types, and so on. Comprehensive error models made it possible to perform realistic analyses. To the extent that the error sources assumed in the simulations represent those actually encountered during the mission, the simulation results will predict the performance of the GRACE mission. The GRACE mission is expected to improve the current knowledge of the Earth gravity field by order of magnitude. The geoid error level is expected to be less than 1cm to spherical harmonic degree 70.en_US
dc.description.departmentAerospace Engineeringen_US
dc.format.mediumelectronicen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2152/85744
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.26153/tsw/12695
dc.relation.ispartofUT Electronic Theses and Dissertationsen_US
dc.rightsCopyright © is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the Libraries' web site by University Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.en_US
dc.rights.restrictionOpenen_US
dc.subjectGRACEen_US
dc.subjectGravity Recovery and Climate Experimenten_US
dc.subjectsimulationsen_US
dc.titleSimulation Study of A Low-Low Satellite-to-Satellite Tracking Missionen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.genreThesisen_US
thesis.degree.departmentAerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanicsen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineAerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanicsen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Texas at Austinen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US

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