Position determination of the Chang’e 3 lander with geodetic VLBI
Other text in scientific journal, 2019

We present results from the analysis of observations of the Chang’e 3 lander using geodetic Very Long Baseline Interferometry. The applied processing strategy as well as the limiting factors to our approach is discussed. We highlight the current precision of such observations and the accuracy of the estimated lunar-based parameters, i.e., the lunar lander’s Moon-fixed coordinates. Our result for the position of the lander is 44.1219 3 ∘ N , -19.51159∘E and -2637.3 m, with horizontal position uncertainties on the lunar surface of 8.9 m and 4.5 m in latitude and longitude, respectively. This result is in good agreement with the position derived from images taken by the Narrow Angle Camera of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Finally, we discuss potential improvements to our approach, which could be used to apply the presented concept to high-precision lunar positioning and studies of the Moon.[Figure not available: see fulltext.].

Moon

Chang’e 3

c5++

Geodetic Very Long Baseline Interferometry

OCEL

Author

Grzegorz Klopotek

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Onsala Space Observatory

Thomas Hobiger

University of Stuttgart

Rüdiger Haas

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Onsala Space Observatory

Frédéric Jaron

University of Bonn

Laura La Porta

University of Bonn

Reichert GmbH

Axel Nothnagel

University of Bonn

Zhongkai Zhang

University of Bonn

Songtao Han

Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center

Alexander Neidhardt

Technical University of Munich

C. Plötz

Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG)

Earth, Planets and Space

1343-8832 (ISSN) 1880-5981 (eISSN)

Vol. 71 1 23

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Roots

Basic sciences

Infrastructure

Onsala Space Observatory

Subject Categories

Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

DOI

10.1186/s40623-019-1001-2

More information

Latest update

3/23/2021