Solar Radiation Pressure Modeling and Validation for BDS-3 MEO Satellites

The solar radiation pressure (SRP) model, as a key factor affecting the precise orbit determination (POD) accuracy of navigation satellites, is related to the state and optical properties of the satellite surface. This study establishes a high-precision SRP model for BDS-3 medium earth orbit (MEO) s...

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Main Authors: Qiuli Chen, Xu Zhang, Chen Wang, Haihong Wang, Chen Ren, Fujian Ma, Xinglong Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Remote Sensing
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/6/1068
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author Qiuli Chen
Xu Zhang
Chen Wang
Haihong Wang
Chen Ren
Fujian Ma
Xinglong Zhao
author_facet Qiuli Chen
Xu Zhang
Chen Wang
Haihong Wang
Chen Ren
Fujian Ma
Xinglong Zhao
author_sort Qiuli Chen
collection DOAJ
description The solar radiation pressure (SRP) model, as a key factor affecting the precise orbit determination (POD) accuracy of navigation satellites, is related to the state and optical properties of the satellite surface. This study establishes a high-precision SRP model for BDS-3 medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites manufactured by the China Academy of Space Technology based on the satellite engineering parameters, which comprises the satellites’ size and optical properties measured before launch. Then, the physical-based SRP model is re-constructed into the body-fixed coordinate as the function of the Sun elongation angle. The use of the hybrid SRP model, combining the reconstructed SRP model and the 5-parameter ECOM, results in a better POD performance. The orbit results, validated using satellite laser ranging (SLR) observations, show that the radial precision of approximately 3–4 cm can be achieved, with a reduction of the bias by up to 38% and a removal of the systematic error related to the Sun elongation angle in SLR residuals. Considering the possible degradation of the reconstructed SRP model with the engineering parameters, the evolution of SRP accelerations along with orbit quality based on a time series from over 5 years was studied. The results indicate that a variation of the total SRP acceleration for the BDS-3 satellites is minor and there is no apparent degradation in validations of 2019–2023, which proved the reliability and usability of the proposed SRP model for the BDS-3 MEO satellites.
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spelling doaj-art-bbbd3ac445da4749b5d4d51ee36e3d752025-08-20T02:43:02ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-03-01176106810.3390/rs17061068Solar Radiation Pressure Modeling and Validation for BDS-3 MEO SatellitesQiuli Chen0Xu Zhang1Chen Wang2Haihong Wang3Chen Ren4Fujian Ma5Xinglong Zhao6Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering, China Academy of Space Technology, Beijing 100094, ChinaBeijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering, China Academy of Space Technology, Beijing 100094, ChinaSchool of Geology and Geomatics, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, ChinaBeijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering, China Academy of Space Technology, Beijing 100094, ChinaSchool of Geology and Geomatics, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, ChinaBeijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering, China Academy of Space Technology, Beijing 100094, ChinaBeijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering, China Academy of Space Technology, Beijing 100094, ChinaThe solar radiation pressure (SRP) model, as a key factor affecting the precise orbit determination (POD) accuracy of navigation satellites, is related to the state and optical properties of the satellite surface. This study establishes a high-precision SRP model for BDS-3 medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites manufactured by the China Academy of Space Technology based on the satellite engineering parameters, which comprises the satellites’ size and optical properties measured before launch. Then, the physical-based SRP model is re-constructed into the body-fixed coordinate as the function of the Sun elongation angle. The use of the hybrid SRP model, combining the reconstructed SRP model and the 5-parameter ECOM, results in a better POD performance. The orbit results, validated using satellite laser ranging (SLR) observations, show that the radial precision of approximately 3–4 cm can be achieved, with a reduction of the bias by up to 38% and a removal of the systematic error related to the Sun elongation angle in SLR residuals. Considering the possible degradation of the reconstructed SRP model with the engineering parameters, the evolution of SRP accelerations along with orbit quality based on a time series from over 5 years was studied. The results indicate that a variation of the total SRP acceleration for the BDS-3 satellites is minor and there is no apparent degradation in validations of 2019–2023, which proved the reliability and usability of the proposed SRP model for the BDS-3 MEO satellites.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/6/1068BDSsolar radiation pressure modelingprecise orbit determinationsatellite laser ranging
spellingShingle Qiuli Chen
Xu Zhang
Chen Wang
Haihong Wang
Chen Ren
Fujian Ma
Xinglong Zhao
Solar Radiation Pressure Modeling and Validation for BDS-3 MEO Satellites
Remote Sensing
BDS
solar radiation pressure modeling
precise orbit determination
satellite laser ranging
title Solar Radiation Pressure Modeling and Validation for BDS-3 MEO Satellites
title_full Solar Radiation Pressure Modeling and Validation for BDS-3 MEO Satellites
title_fullStr Solar Radiation Pressure Modeling and Validation for BDS-3 MEO Satellites
title_full_unstemmed Solar Radiation Pressure Modeling and Validation for BDS-3 MEO Satellites
title_short Solar Radiation Pressure Modeling and Validation for BDS-3 MEO Satellites
title_sort solar radiation pressure modeling and validation for bds 3 meo satellites
topic BDS
solar radiation pressure modeling
precise orbit determination
satellite laser ranging
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/6/1068
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AT haihongwang solarradiationpressuremodelingandvalidationforbds3meosatellites
AT chenren solarradiationpressuremodelingandvalidationforbds3meosatellites
AT fujianma solarradiationpressuremodelingandvalidationforbds3meosatellites
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