Precision ERS-2 orbit determination combining multiple tracking techniques

Both of the oceanographic research by using altimetry and the application of InSAR of ERS-2 satellite need the precise ephemerides of the satellite. In this note, the ERS-2 orbit is precisely determined by using SLR and PRARE observations to take advantage of the high accuracy of SLR and the widespread data coverage of PRARE. Based on the software system SODS-VCE established by us, the ERS-2 orbits in 1997 are calculated. The evaluation from tracking data fits, endpoint consistency of orbital arcs and comparison with independent orbit implies an orbit accuracy of 5–6 cm in radial component which can satisfy the requirement of being better than 10 cm in oceanographic research by altimetry, being less than 20 cm in cross-track component which can meet the requirement of InSAR. In orbit computation, the method of variance component estimation is employed to weight the SLR, PRARE range and Doppler measurements properly. The results indicate that the application of the method can improve the computation accuracy efficiently.