Application of Solei tool for Density Estimation Using CubeSat GPS Data

TARGET GROUP: DENSITY OF DEBRIS IN LOW EARTH ORBIT

OBJECTIVES

·        To improve atmospheric density estimates by assimilating CubeSat GPS information to infer drivers to a physics-based space environment model, and will therefore allow for more accurate LEO object motion prediction.

SUMMARY

A rise in popularity of LEO CubeSats, with several companies establishing commercial CubeSat constellations for remote sensing and communication applications. Our research takes advantage of the abundance and quality of CubeSat GPS information to infer the space environment affecting their motion. We explore rigorous and practically realizable means to utilize CubeSats as indirect sensors of the space environment. The focus is on atmospheric density for more accurate prediction of LEO object motion. We developed SoleiTool to estimate forcing parameters of a physics-based space environment model using debris tracking data. In this work, we expand SoleiTool’s capabilities to estimate parameters of TIE-GCM using CubeSat GPS information. Precise Orbit Determination (POD) information from nine CubeSats over 11 days is used to sense a global density field when historical data shows two geomagnetic storms via elevated Kp values. This paper explores three SoleiTool approaches to estimate atmospheric density, and compares them to the operationally used model, as well as MSIS. We conclude with a suggestion for which approach is recommended moving forward.

REFERENCE

https://amostech.com/TechnicalPapers/2021/Atmospherics_Space-Weather/Mutschler.pdf