Orbit Determination for a Microsatellite Rendezvous with a Non-Cooperative Target

Abstract

This study investigated the minimum requirements to establish a satellite tracking system architecture for a hostile parasitic microsatellite to rendezvous with a larger, non-cooperative target satellite. Four types of tracking systems and their capabilities were reviewed with emphasis on low-technology level and/or mobile systems which could be used by technologically unsophisticated state or non-state adversaries. With the tracking system architecture selected, simulated tracking data was processed with a non- linear least squares orbit determination filter to determine and/or update the target satellite\u27s state vector

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