Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1362-1372 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets |
| Volume | 57 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Publication status | Published - 27 Jul 2020 |
Abstract
The Laser Ranging Interferometer onboard the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On satellites is the first laser interferometer in space measuring satellite-to-satellite distance variations. One of its main noise sources at low frequencies is the so-called tilt-to-length coupling, caused by satellite pointing variations. This error is estimated by fitting a linear coupling model, making use of the so-called center-of-mass calibration maneuvers. These maneuvers are performed regularly for the original purpose of center-of-mass determination. Here, the results of the tilt-to-length estimations for the Laser Ranging Interferometer are presented in terms of coupling factors, which are all within 200 μm ⋅ rad−1 and thus meet the requirements. From these parameters, estimations of nadir and cross-track components of the spacecraft center-of-mass positions with respect to the interferometer reference point are derived, providing an additional method to track center-of-mass movement over time.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Engineering(all)
- Aerospace Engineering
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
- Space and Planetary Science
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In: Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 57, No. 6, 27.07.2020, p. 1362-1372.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Tilt-to-length coupling in the grace follow-on laser ranging interferometer
AU - Wegener, Henry
AU - Müller, Vitali
AU - Heinzel, Gerhard
AU - Misfeldt, Malte
N1 - Funding information: Parts of this work have been financially supported by the Bundesmi-nisterium für Bildung und Forschung, project number 03F0654B. Moreover, parts of this work have been supported by funding from the Sonderforschungsbereich 1128 “Relativistic Geodesy and Gravimetry with Quantum Sensors (geo-Q)” by the Deutsche Forschungsgemein-schaft. Furthermore, the authors would like to thank the Max Planck Society (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft) for support within the LEGACY framework on low-frequency gravitational wave astronomy (M.IF.A.-QOP18098). The authors would like to thank the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On Science Data System (SDS) for providing Level-1 instrument data. Furthermore, the authors would like to thank the German Space Operations Center (DLR, German Aerospace Center– GSOC) for helpful discussions about GRACE Follow-On attitude control.
PY - 2020/7/27
Y1 - 2020/7/27
N2 - The Laser Ranging Interferometer onboard the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On satellites is the first laser interferometer in space measuring satellite-to-satellite distance variations. One of its main noise sources at low frequencies is the so-called tilt-to-length coupling, caused by satellite pointing variations. This error is estimated by fitting a linear coupling model, making use of the so-called center-of-mass calibration maneuvers. These maneuvers are performed regularly for the original purpose of center-of-mass determination. Here, the results of the tilt-to-length estimations for the Laser Ranging Interferometer are presented in terms of coupling factors, which are all within 200 μm ⋅ rad−1 and thus meet the requirements. From these parameters, estimations of nadir and cross-track components of the spacecraft center-of-mass positions with respect to the interferometer reference point are derived, providing an additional method to track center-of-mass movement over time.
AB - The Laser Ranging Interferometer onboard the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On satellites is the first laser interferometer in space measuring satellite-to-satellite distance variations. One of its main noise sources at low frequencies is the so-called tilt-to-length coupling, caused by satellite pointing variations. This error is estimated by fitting a linear coupling model, making use of the so-called center-of-mass calibration maneuvers. These maneuvers are performed regularly for the original purpose of center-of-mass determination. Here, the results of the tilt-to-length estimations for the Laser Ranging Interferometer are presented in terms of coupling factors, which are all within 200 μm ⋅ rad−1 and thus meet the requirements. From these parameters, estimations of nadir and cross-track components of the spacecraft center-of-mass positions with respect to the interferometer reference point are derived, providing an additional method to track center-of-mass movement over time.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088467293&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2514/1.A34790
DO - 10.2514/1.A34790
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85088467293
VL - 57
SP - 1362
EP - 1372
JO - Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
JF - Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
SN - 0022-4650
IS - 6
ER -