AGI’s Commercial Space Operations Center Tracks Long March 5
Exton, PA (PRWEB) November 04, 2016 -- Analytical Graphics, Inc.’s (AGI) Commercial Space Operations Center (ComSpOC) is demonstrating unparalleled commercial innovation in the swift and accurate tracking of the inaugural launch of a new, more capable Chinese rocket with two apparent payloads, one of which is the reported Shijian-17 experimental satellite. This display of technological readiness and responsiveness utilizing varied sources of commercial sensor data, bolsters the growing awareness that commercial space situational awareness (SSA) services provide a viable source for monitoring activities in space.
While the Long March 5 launch timing and trajectory were potentially challenging for traditional SSA sensors, the ComSpOC’s unique capability to utilize commercial sensors quickly produced extremely precise tracking of the space objects. ComSpOC integrated optical data from commercial partners, including ExoAnalytic Solutions, which it fused and processed with other sensor types to detect, track and characterize the Chinese experimental mission, ensuring safety of flight and providing indications of anomalous or unexpected performance.
The processing engine utilized by the ComSpOC, AGI’s SSA Software Suite, enables complete fusion of all sensor phenomenologies, including passive radio frequency (RF), optical telescopes and additional radars. The SSA Software Suite, numerically validated by the U.S. Air Force, produces high definition ephemeris (HiDEph) to develop a very accurate orbit.
The orbit data the ComSpOC produced for the Long March 5 launch showcases the responsiveness and flexibility of its sensor network and data processing engine to respond to challenging space missions.
Stephanie Eftimiades, Analytical Graphics, Inc, http://www.agi.com, (703)889-0073, [email protected]
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