Session
Pre-Conference Workshop Session III: Instruments/Science I
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
The Institute of Space Systems (IRS) of the University of Stuttgart and the TU Berlin are planning a mission to observe meteors and dust particles using a formation of two small satellites. In this paper, we analyse the formation and satellite parameters to optimize the scientific output of the meteor observation. The stereoscopic observation of meteors allows calculating the corresponding meteor trajectory. The potential output of a meteor observation strongly depends on the configuration of the satellite formation (orbit, satellite distance) and the satellite bus parameters (knowledge of satellite position and attitude). Therefore, a simulation, based on the trajectory algorithm of the Meteor Orbit and Trajectory Determination Software (MOTS), is conducted, in order to calculate the accuracy of the meteor trajectory depending on those parameters. Furthermore, different meteor properties are taken into account to evaluate the influence on the accuracy of the calculated trajectory. According to our simulations, the satellite attitude knowledge has a huge influence on the trajectory accuracy, while the position knowledge is less relevant. Furthermore, the simulation allows calculating the ideal satellite distance with a minimal trajectory error for a specific orbit. The trajectory error is ~200 m, when typical errors on satellite position and attitude knowledge (7”) are used.
Stereoscopic Meteor Observation: Determining Satellite Bus and Formation Parameters Requirements
Utah State University, Logan, UT
The Institute of Space Systems (IRS) of the University of Stuttgart and the TU Berlin are planning a mission to observe meteors and dust particles using a formation of two small satellites. In this paper, we analyse the formation and satellite parameters to optimize the scientific output of the meteor observation. The stereoscopic observation of meteors allows calculating the corresponding meteor trajectory. The potential output of a meteor observation strongly depends on the configuration of the satellite formation (orbit, satellite distance) and the satellite bus parameters (knowledge of satellite position and attitude). Therefore, a simulation, based on the trajectory algorithm of the Meteor Orbit and Trajectory Determination Software (MOTS), is conducted, in order to calculate the accuracy of the meteor trajectory depending on those parameters. Furthermore, different meteor properties are taken into account to evaluate the influence on the accuracy of the calculated trajectory. According to our simulations, the satellite attitude knowledge has a huge influence on the trajectory accuracy, while the position knowledge is less relevant. Furthermore, the simulation allows calculating the ideal satellite distance with a minimal trajectory error for a specific orbit. The trajectory error is ~200 m, when typical errors on satellite position and attitude knowledge (7”) are used.
