Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Ng, A. T. Y..
The value of the geocentric gravitational constant was determined from the analysis of Doppler and range data during the near-earth phases of the trajectories of Mariners 9 and 10. Geocentric gravitational constant values (in units of cu km/sq s) for the two spacecraft were found to be: 398,600.7 plus or minus 0.2 for Mariner 9 and 398,600.6 plus or minus 0.2 for Mariner 10.
The ratio of the mass of the sun to that of Mercury deduced from the first and third flybys of Mercury by Mariner 10 is 6,023,600 plus or minus 600 and 6,023,700 plus or minus 300, respectively. Additional analysis should improve these uncertainties by a factor of 2 to 5. Assuming an equatorial radius of 2439 km, the mean density of the planet is 5.44 g/cu cm. The gravitational oblateness deduced from the first encounter is discussed. Data received from the third encounter are better suited for this determination and yield J2 of 0.00008 plus or minus 0.00006. In addition, the third-encounter data are sensitive to local gravity effects or anomalies.