Precise Orbit Determination for Gravity Field Investigations
A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Satellite Missions for Earth and Planetary Exploration".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 293
Special Issue Editors
Interests: gravity fields; precise orbit determination; planetary science; precise modeling
2. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
Interests: gravity science; radio science; InSAR; topography; spectroscopy
Interests: GNSS; precise point positioning; PPP-RTK
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The investigation of the gravity fields of celestial bodies has significantly advanced via the precise orbit determination (POD) of interplanetary spacecraft. Looking forward, numerous missions equipped with sophisticated radio tracking technologies are poised to further refine our understanding of the gravity fields of previously explored celestial objects and to embark on the initial study of others not yet visited. Beyond these forthcoming missions, a wealth of proposals are currently in review. Preliminary studies and numerical simulations are proving indispensable in evaluating the potential scientific contributions of these proposed ventures. Various types of radiometric data are used, such as range and range-rate measurements, whose performance has significantly improved since the advent of robotic spacecraft exploration, thus offering the more precise detection of gravitational effects. The integration of different data types—including VLBI, DOR, inter-satellite links, and optical landmark tracking—has been used to substantially augment the scientific return of deep-space missions, especially in challenging dynamical environments.
This Special Issue, entitled “Precise Orbit Determination for Gravity Field Investigations”, explores advanced methodologies and applications in the field of spacecraft tracking, planetary gravimetry, and geodesy. The Issue delves into how the precise orbit determination of spacecraft supports and empowers our quest to understanding planetary gravity fields, which in turn informs the models of planetary interior structures and dynamics.
Suggested topics include the following:
- Advanced techniques for the calibration, analysis, and processing of radiometric data for POD aimed at enabling gravity measurements.
- Advanced mission concepts, enabling next generation POD.
- Analysis of static and time-variable gravity fields, influenced by factors like tidal forces, subsurface fluid layers, atmospheric mass motion including thermal tides, the atmospheric deposition of polar caps, and the movement of surface volatiles.
- Interpretation of gravity measurements for probing the interior structure of a celestial object.
- Investigations of rotational dynamics, with the aim of constraining the physical characteristics of planetary cores.
- Integration of various types of data to differentiate plausible interior models of planetary bodies.
Dr. Ivan di Stefano
Dr. Gael Cascioli
Prof. Dr. Baocheng Zhang
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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Keywords
- precise orbit determination
- radio science
- interplanetary missions
- planetary science
- satellite geodesy
- planetary interiors
- gravity fields
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