Orbit Determination using Ground-Based Optical Observations in Launch and Early Operations Phase of EDRS-C

Abstract

In the launch and early orbit phase of a satellite mission, reliable information on the spacecraft’s position is of vital importance for the success of the whole mission. Especially for spacecraft targeting geostationary positions, ground-based orbit information is necessary for planning and calibrating the required manoeuvres to transfer the satellite in its dedicated target orbit. In frame of the ground telescope network SMARTnet, passive-optical observations have been employed during the launch and early operation phase of the geostationary mission EDRS-C. The present study assesses the benefit of employing passive-optical observations on the resulting orbit determination solutions as well as manoeuvre calibration.