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Article
Bearings-Only Initial Relative Orbit Determination
Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics
  • Keith A. Legrand
  • Kyle J. DeMars, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Henry J. Pernicka, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Abstract

A method for performing bearings-only initial relative orbit determination of a nearby space object in the absence of any information regarding the space object's geometry and relative orbit is presented. To resolve the range ambiguity characteristic of a single optical sensor system, a second optical sensor is included at a known baseline distance on the observing spacecraft. To formulate an initial estimate of the space object's relative orbit and its associated uncertainty, the angle measurements from both sensors are used to bound a region for all possible relative positions of the space object. A parameterized probability distribution in relative position that reflects uniform relative range uncertainty across the bounded region is constructed at two unique times. Linkage of the positional distributions is performed using a second-order relative Lambert solver to formulate a full-state probability density function in relative position and velocity, which can be further refined through processing subsequent measurement data in a Bayesian framework.

Department(s)
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
  • Data handling,
  • Optical sensors,
  • Orbits,
  • Probability distributions,
  • Uncertainty analysis,
  • Bayesian frameworks,
  • Initial estimate,
  • Measurement data,
  • Positional distribution,
  • Range ambiguity,
  • Range uncertainty,
  • Relative orbit,
  • Relative positions,
  • Probability density function
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2015 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), All rights reserved.
Publication Date
9-1-2015
Publication Date
01 Sep 2015
Disciplines
Citation Information
Keith A. Legrand, Kyle J. DeMars and Henry J. Pernicka. "Bearings-Only Initial Relative Orbit Determination" Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics Vol. 38 Iss. 9 (2015) p. 1699 - 1713 ISSN: 0731-5090
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/henry-pernicka/1/