Predicted satellite orbits for Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) tracking of satellites equipped with corner cube retroreflectors. The data is produced by NASA's Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS) and is issued on a daily or sub-daily basis. Prediction files typically contain orbit information for multiple days to coordinate tracking schedules for satellite acquisition.
Use Cases
- Plan satellite tracking schedules based on predicted orbit information.
- Calibrate and validate SLR station pointing and timing systems using predicted satellite passes.
- Support orbit determination and geodetic research by providing a priori orbit data for analysis.
Strengths
- Data originates from NASA's authoritative CDDIS repository.
- Predictions are issued on a daily or sub-daily basis, suggesting regular updates.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count and file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- NASA Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS)
- Collection Method
- Predicted orbits generated for SLR tracking.
- Freshness
- Issued on a daily or sub-daily basis.
- Geography
- Global (satellite orbits)