Orbit Design and Analysis for the Atmospheric and Environmental Research Satellite ATMOS

Kurzfassung

ATMOS (Atmospheric and Oceanic research Satellite) is a dedicated german research Satellite for atmospheric and oceanographic remote sensing on a global scale. A sun- synchronous frozen orbit in about 780 km altitude is selected to satisfy the coverage requirements of homogenous observation with the four onboard experiments. The track stability of +/- 10 km is design driver for the correction cycle which requires a small onboard orbit control system. Then the required time stability of +/- 10 min and form stability of +/- 1.5 km altitude variation will be fulfilled. Orbit determination accuracy of a simple onboard orbit generator guarantees a radial error less than 300 m. To relieve command verification only a few orbital parameters shall be uploaded once a day.