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Flight Dynamics

The GSOC Flight Dynamics team supports the Space Operations department and external customers in preparation and operation of satellite missions. Among the main tasks are orbit and attitude determination, orbit prediction, orbit control, collision avoidance and re-entry. Furthermore, the ground segment is supported with the provision of flight dynamics products like predictions of the satellite position for tracking-antennas, orbit related products for the support of mission planning and satellite operations as well as for payload operations.

For the preparation of projects the requirements for the flight dynamics system are analyzed and an operational system is implemented and validated. A mission analysis is performed, which examines flight dynamics aspects of the mission. The Flight Dynamics team operates the installed system during the mission and supports the project with analyses as necessary.

For the execution of these tasks, the group has developed a series of software tools, which can support the mission analysis as well as the flight dynamics operations. These tools are constantly updated and extended for new mission types.

Below these tools are briefly described.

Mission Analysis

GEO Transfer

• First Contact (influence of injection errors)
• Launch Window for GEO Missions
• Positioning Strategy (GEO)
• Low-Thrust Transfer (GEO)
• Maneuver Strategy for Acquisition of the Target Orbit (LEO)
• Orbit Maintenance
  • GEO („Station Keeping“: chemical/electrical); co-located
  • LEO (Reference Orbit)
  • LEO (Formation and Constellation Control)
• Collision Risks
• Attitude Analysis
• Life Expectancy
• Re-Entry

Orbit Determination

• Orbit Determination based on Tracking-Data
• Orbit Determination and Relative Navigation based on GPS Navigation Data
• Precise Orbit Determination and Relative Navigation based on GPS Raw Observations
• Provision of Products for Science/Customers
• Calibration of Orbit Maneuvers

Support of Satellite Operations

• Orbit Prediction
• Prediction of orbit-related Events (shadow, elevation, sensor events, etc.) for Mission Operations and Mission Planning
• Support of Operation of the Ground-Station Network (prediction of the satellite position for tracking antennas, visibilities, sun interference, etc.)
• Generation of Commands for the Support of the on-board AOCS (orbit propagator, attitude profiles, variable model parameters, etc.)

Orbit Maneuver Planning

TSX Orbit Control

• Optimization of Maneuvers for GEO-Transfer (chemical)
• Optimization of GEO-Transfers with electrical Propulsion
• Planning of Orbit Maneuvers
  • GEO („Station Keeping“: chemical/electrical); co-located
  • LEO (Reference Orbit)
  • LEO (Formations and Constellation Control)
• Re-Orbiting and Deorbiting

Attitude Determination and Attitude Analysis

• Precise Satellite Attitude Determination
• Provision of Products for Science/Customers
• Analysis of Sensor Data (observation errors, correction of mounting matrices, etc.)
• Computation of Attitude Profiles for Satellite Commanding
• Visibility Conditions for optical Communication (satellite-satellite, satellite-ground)

Collision Avoidance

• Analysis of critical Close Approaches of Space Flight Objects (satellites or space debris)
• Planning and Assessment of Orbit Maneuvers for Collision Avoidance