Towards improved lunar reference frames

LRO orbit determination

authored by: Anno Löcher, Franz Hofmann, Philipp Gläser, Isabel Haase, Jürgen Müller, Jürgen Kusche, Jürgen Oberst
Abstract: Lunar reference systems are currently realized by sets of coordinates of the few laser reflectors deployed by Apollo astronauts and unmanned Soviet spacecrafts. Expanding this coordinate knowledge to other features identifiable in images of the lunar surface requires highly accurate orbits of the acquiring spacecraft. To support such activities using images and altimetry data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), an independent processing facility for tracking observations to LRO has been established. We present orbits from 1 year radio Doppler, radio ranging and laser ranging data obtained by different combinations of data types. To obtain an external confirmation for the achieved orbit accuracy, coordinates of the Apollo 15 reflector were measured in LRO images by photogrammetric techniques and compared to reference values from Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR). Coordinate differences were found to be at the 10m level.
Organisation(s): Institute of Geodesy
External Organisation(s): University of Bonn
Technische Universität Berlin
Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography
Type: Conference contribution
Pages: 201-206
No. of pages: 6
Publication date: 01.01.2017
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Computers in Earth Sciences, Geophysics
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1007/1345_2015_146 (Access: Closed)
: Details in the research portal "Research@Leibniz University"

BibTeX

@inproceedings{8e6ba40b73ca43089c1f3f195f01c52e,
title = "Towards improved lunar reference frames: LRO orbit determination",
abstract = "Lunar reference systems are currently realized by sets of coordinates of the few laser reflectors deployed by Apollo astronauts and unmanned Soviet spacecrafts. Expanding this coordinate knowledge to other features identifiable in images of the lunar surface requires highly accurate orbits of the acquiring spacecraft. To support such activities using images and altimetry data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), an independent processing facility for tracking observations to LRO has been established. We present orbits from 1 year radio Doppler, radio ranging and laser ranging data obtained by different combinations of data types. To obtain an external confirmation for the achieved orbit accuracy, coordinates of the Apollo 15 reflector were measured in LRO images by photogrammetric techniques and compared to reference values from Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR). Coordinate differences were found to be at the 10m level.",
keywords = "Lunar laser ranging, Lunar reconnaissance orbiter, Precise orbit determination",
author = "Anno L{\"o}cher and Franz Hofmann and Philipp Gl{\"a}ser and Isabel Haase and J{\"u}rgen M{\"u}ller and J{\"u}rgen Kusche and J{\"u}rgen Oberst",
note = "Funding information: This research was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) within the research unit FOR 1503 “Space-Time Reference Systems for Monitoring Global Change and for Precise Navigation in Space”. In addition, J. Oberst was hosted by MIIGAiK and supported by Russian Science Foundation, project #14-22-00197.; IAG Symposium on Reference Frames for Applications in Geosciences, REFAG 2014 ; Conference date: 13-10-2014 Through 17-10-2014",
year = "2017",
month = jan,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1007/1345_2015_146",
language = "English",
isbn = "9783319456287",
series = "International Association of Geodesy Symposia",
publisher = "Springer Verlag",
pages = "201--206",
editor = "Dam, {Tonie van}",
booktitle = "REFAG 2014 - Proceedings of the IAG Commission 1 Symposium",
address = "Germany",
}