Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite-5 (KOMPSAT-5) is the first satellite in Korea that provides 1 m resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. Precise orbit determination (POD) using a dual-frequency IGOR receiver data is performed to conduct high-resolution SAR images. We suggest orbit determination strategies based on a differential GPS technique. Double-differenced phase observations are sampled every 30 seconds. A dynamic model approach using an estimation of general empirical acceleration every 6 minutes through a batch least-squares estimator is applied. The orbit accuracy is validated using real data from GRACE and KOMPSAT-2 as well as simulated KOMPSAT-5 data. The POD results using GRACE satellite are adjusted through satellite laser ranging data and compared with publicly available reference orbit data. Operational orbit determination satisfies 5 m root sum square (RSS) in one sigma, and POD meets the orbit accuracy requirements of less than 20 cm and 0.003 cm/s RSS in position and velocity, respectively.

Korea’s first lunar mission, the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), aims to launch in mid-2022 via the Space-X Falcon-9 launch vehicle. For the successful flight operation of KPLO, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has designed and developed the Flight Dynamics Subsystem (FDS). FDS is one of the subsystems in the KPLO Deep-Space Ground System (KDGS), which is responsible for the overall flight dynamics-related operation. FDS is currently successfully implemented and meets all of the requirements derived from the critical design phases. The current work addresses the design and implementation results for the KPLO FDS. Starting from overviews on KPLO payloads, bus systems, and mission trajectory characteristics, a review on KDGS is also treated briefly. Details on the design philosophy, unique characteristics, and functionalities of all six different modules nested inside the FDS with its Graphical User Interface (GUI) design are discussed. Moreover, efforts currently devoted to the flight operation preparation of the KPLO are summarized, including many collaborative works between KARI and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) teams.

The ground tracking support is a critical factor for the navigation performance of spacecraft orbiting around the Moon. Because of the tracking limit of antennas, only a small number of facilities can support lunar missions. Therefore, case studies for various ground tracking support conditions are needed for lunar missions on the stage of preliminary mission analysis. This study analyzes the ground supporting condition effect on orbit determination (OD) of Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) in the lunar orbit. For the assumption of ground support conditions, daily tracking frequency, cut-off angle for low elevation, tracking measurement accuracy, and tracking failure situations were considered. Two antennas of deep space network (DSN) and Korea Deep Space Antenna (KDSA) are utilized for various tracking conditions configuration. For the investigation of the daily tracking frequency effect, three cases (full support, DSN 4 pass/day and KDSA 4 pass/day, and DSN 2 pass/day and KDSA 2 pass/day) are prepared. For the elevation cut-off angle effect, two situations, which are 5 deg and 10 deg, are assumed. Three cases (0%, 30%, and 50% of degradation) were considered for the tracking measurement accuracy effect. Three cases such as no missing, 1-day KDSA missing, and 2-day KDSA missing are assumed for tracking failure effect. For OD, a sequential estimation algorithm was used, and for the OD performance evaluation, position uncertainty, position differences between true and estimated orbits, and orbit overlap precision according to various ground supporting conditions were investigated. Orbit prediction accuracy variations due to ground tracking conditions were also demonstrated. This study provides a guideline for selecting ground tracking support levels and preparing a backup plan for the KPLO lunar mission phase.

The current study analyzes the effects of the scaling parameters of the batch unscented transformation on precision\ud satellite orbit determination. Satellite laser ranging (SLR) data are used in the orbit determination algorithm, which\ud consists of dynamics model, observation model and filtering algorithm composed of the batch unscented transformation.\ud TOPEX/Poseidon SLR data are used by utilizing the normal point (NP) data observed from ground station. The\ud filtering algorithm includes a repeated series of processes to determine the appropriate scaling parameters for the batch\ud unscented transformation. To determine appropriate scaling parameters, general ranges of the scaling parameters of α,\ud β, κ, λ are established. Depending on the range settings, each parameter was assigned to the filtering algorithm at regular\ud intervals. Appropriate scaling parameters are determined for observation data obtained from several observatories, by\ud analyzing the relationship between tuning properties of the scaling parameters and estimated orbit precision. The orbit\ud determination of satellite using the batch unscented transformation can achieve levels of accuracy within several tens\ud of cm with the appropriate scaling parameters. The analyses in the present study give insights into the roles of scaling\ud parameters in the batch unscented transformation method