Credits: 9

Learning objectives
Orbit determination is a key factor in the satellite operations. In general, satellite tracking requires in general a course orbit determination since generally the antennas footprint and signal tracking will compensate the errors in the orbit determination. However different missions require a very accurate orbit determination for scientific purposes. The School of Aerospace Engineering is involved in one of the most demanding mission in terms of orbit determination accuracy, the Lares mission, which is testing the general relativity principles , whose effects are of orders of magnitude lower than the usual perturbation effects on the satellite orbit. This Course will transfer to the students the current methods in accurate orbit determination. The students will also have the occasion of doing practical experience on orbit determination of highly demanding scientific missions, such as Lares. The course is organized as follows: Numerical techniques applied to orbital analysis, Techniques of satellite position measurement, Statistical treatment of orbital observations and filters, Fundamentals of C++/Fortran  for Laboratory exercises.