Orbit determination for Magellan and Pioneer 12 using same-beam interferometry

Details Orbit determination for Magellan and Pioneer 12 using same-beam interferometry Orbit determination for Magellan and Pioneer 12 using same-beam interferometry

Aug 1992

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1992asdy.conf..909f&link_type=abstract

IN: Astrodynamics 1991; Proceedings of the AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Durango, CO, Aug. 19-22, 1991. Pt. 2 (A92-43251 18

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Interferometry, Magellan Spacecraft (Nasa), Orbit Calculation, Pioneer Venus Spacecraft, Spacecraft Orbits, Spacecraft Tracking, Line Of Sight, Radio Antennas, Satellite Doppler Positioning

Scientific paper

Simultaneous tracking of two spacecraft in orbit about a distant planet, by two widely-separated earth-based radio antennas, provides more accurate positioning information than can be obtained by tracking each spacecraft separately. A demonstration of this tracking technique, referred to as Same-Beam Interferometry (SBI), is in progress using the Magellan and Pioneer 12 orbiters at Venus. Signals from both spacecraft fall within the same beamwidth of the earth-based tracking antennas. The plane-of-sky position difference between spacecraft is precisely determined by double-differenced phase measurements. This data type complements line-of-sight Doppler. Data were collected from Magellan and Pioneer 12 on Aug. 11-12, 1990, shortly after Magellan was inserted into Venus orbit. Orbits for both spacecraft were fit with one day data arc using Doppler and SBI data and compared to orbits fit to only Doppler data. The Doppler plus SBI orbits show improved orbit-to-orbit consistency over the Doppler-only orbits.

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