Print Email Facebook Twitter Laser and radio tracking for planetary science missions—a comparison Title Laser and radio tracking for planetary science missions—a comparison Author Dirkx, D. (TU Delft Astrodynamics & Space Missions) Prochazka, Ivan (Czech Technical University) Bauer, Sven (VolcanoTectonics Junior Research Group) Visser, P.N.A.M. (TU Delft Astrodynamics & Space Missions) Noomen, R. (TU Delft Astrodynamics & Space Missions) Gurvits, L. (TU Delft Astrodynamics & Space Missions; Joint Institute for VLBI ERIC) Vermeersen, L.L.A. (TU Delft Physical and Space Geodesy; TU Delft Astrodynamics & Space Missions) Date 2018 Abstract At present, tracking data for planetary missions largely consists of radio observables: range-rate (Doppler), range and angular position (VLBI/Δ DOR). Future planetary missions may use Interplanetary Laser Ranging (ILR) as a tracking observable. Two-way ILR will provide range data that are about 2 orders of magnitude more accurate than radio-based range data. ILR does not produce Doppler data, however. In this article, we compare the relative strength of radio Doppler and laser range data for the retrieval of parameters of interest in planetary missions, to clarify and quantify the science case of ILR, with a focus on geodetic observables. We first provide an overview of the near-term attainable quality of ILR, in terms of both the realization of the observable and the models used to process the measurements. Subsequently, we analyse the sensitivity of radio Doppler and laser range measurements in representative mission scenarios for parameters of interest. We use both an analytical approximation and numerical analyses of the relative sensitivity of ILR and radio Doppler observables for more general cases. We show that mm-precise range normal points are feasible for ILR, but mm-level accuracy and stability in the full analysis chain are unlikely to be attained, due to a combination of instrumental and model errors. We find that ILR has the potential for superior performance in observing signatures in the data with a characteristic period of greater than 0.33–1.65 hours (assuming 2–10 mm uncertainty for range and 10 μ m/s at 60 s for Doppler). This indicates that Doppler tracking will typically remain the method of choice for gravity field determination and spacecraft orbit determination in planetary missions. ILR data will be able to supplement the orbiter tracking data used for the estimation of parameters with a once-per-orbit signal. Laser ranging data, however, are shown to have a significant advantage for the retrieval of rotational and tidal characteristics from landers. Similarly, laser ranging data will be superior for the construction of planetary ephemerides and the improvement of solar system tests of gravitation, both for orbiter and for lander missions. Subject Interplanetary laser rangingPlanetary missionsRadio tracking To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:5a9cd3ef-66ae-49be-8cd1-05a5d80d21b8 DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-018-1171-x ISSN 0949-7714 Source Journal of Geodesy, 93 (2019), 2405-2420 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2018 D. Dirkx, Ivan Prochazka, Sven Bauer, P.N.A.M. Visser, R. Noomen, L. Gurvits, L.L.A. Vermeersen Files PDF 10.1007_s00190_018_1171_x.pdf 1.86 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:5a9cd3ef-66ae-49be-8cd1-05a5d80d21b8/datastream/OBJ/view