Abstract
Thermospheric density models are a main source of error in the orbit determination and prediction of low Earth satellites. The empirical models that are in wide use today show large systematic errors when compared with data derived from accelerometers and spacecraft tracking. This accuracy limit is inherent in their model formulation, which is based on an imperfect correlation of observed thermosphere density with a limited set of certain space weather proxy indices. It has been demonstrated that a substantially higher accuracy can be reached by model calibration using concurrent observations of satellite drag. Such drag observations can be obtained by processing freely available Two-Line Element (TLE) data, which are used for representing and distributing satellite orbit trajectories. Several aspects of this data processing require specific attention. These include the selection of suitable space objects, determining their ballistic coefficients, and taking into account thermospheric winds and radiation pressure accelerations
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Doornbos, E. (2007). Thermosphere Density Model Calibration. In: Lilensten, J. (eds) Space Weather. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 344. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-5446-7_11
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