AAS 98-116

DESIGN FOR OPERATIONAL CALIBRATION OF THE NAVAL SPACE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

P. W. Schumacher, Jr. - Naval Space Command; G. C. Gilbreath - Naval Research Laboratory; E. D. Lydick, S. G. Walters - Naval Space Command; M. A. Davis, J. H. Seago - Allied Signal Technical Services Corp.

Abstract

This paper describes a Concept of Operations for incorporating SLR-based calibration into routine operation of the Naval Space Surveillance System. This sensor system, known as "the Fence", is unique in the current inventory of space tracking assets and presents special opportunities and challenges in the area of calibration. We describe the basic fence system operation, the interferometric processing method, the different fence data types, such as direction cosines, direction cosine rates, and bi-static Doppler, and the SLR data type proposed as the basis for calibration. The Concept of Operations involves description of the data flow from the Fence sensor suite to NAVSPACECOM, generation and quality assessment of accurate reference orbits at Naval Research Laboratory, and the derivation of weights and biases for use in Catalog maintenance operation.

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