93-159

Improved Treatment of GPS Force Parameters in Precise Orbit Determination Applications,

Yvonne Vigue, Stephen M. Lichten, Ron J. Muellerschoen, Geoff Blewitt, and Michael B. Heflin*

Abstract

Data collected from the 1992 campaign of the International GPS Service (IGS) have been processed at JPL to determine precise orbits for the satellites of the Global Positiionaing System. We have tested a filtering technique to improve modelling of GPS solar radiation pressure force parameters. The new approach improves orbit quality for eclipsing satellites by a factor of two, with typical results in the 25-50 cm range.

*  Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109.