Orbit determination study results for the Venus Radar Mapper orbiter

Abstract

The Venus Radar Mapper (VRM), to be launched by the U.S. in July 1988 is described and Doppler-only and Doppler plus N-Delta-VLBI data analyses are contrasted in order to evaluate the importance of VLBI data to VRM orbit determination (OD). VRM OD study results are summarized by showing the accuracy of various orbital parameters for ten cases selected over a 243-day primary mission. It is concluded that VLBI data were responsible for improving the knowledge of the longitude of the ascending node with respect to the plane of the sky by a factor of 5 to 10 throughout (excluding superior conjunction) this primary mission. It is noted that there is a certain sensitivity to where along the orbit the VLBI data are acquired.