Accession Number:

AD0276543

Title:

TARGET ACCURACY EXPERIMENT

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

ROME AIR DEVELOPMENT CENTER GRIFFISS AFB N Y

Personal Author(s):

Report Date:

1962-02-01

Pagination or Media Count:

1.0

Abstract:

An experimental program is discussed which was designed to study the limitations imposed by the atmosphere in locating the position of a vehicle, within or above the earths atmosphere. The fragmentary information available on atmospheric refraction of electromagnetic waves does not fulfill the needs of the sophisticated radar techniques of today. A study of low elevation angle below 15 degrees refraction was undertaken, since this is the region in which severe refraction occurs. The measuring equipment was required to resolve the position of an electromagnetic radiating source, i.e., satellite to 0.1 mr accuracy. In addition, it was required to know the exact location of the orbiting vehicle as a function of time. The approach taken was to implement a vertically based interferometer system sea interferometer, and a doppler technique for the determination of satellite positions. The program is the first full scale refraction study designed to determine the actual limitations imposed by both the tropospheric and ionospheric regions of the atmosphere, both individually and collectively as contributors to the over-all problem of accurately positioning a vehicle in space. Author

Descriptors:

• *ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
• *RADAR TRACKING
• *RADIO ASTRONOMY
• *RADIO INTERFEROMETERS
• *ARTIFICIAL SATELLITES
• DOPPLER SYSTEMS
• ERRORS
• MEASUREMENT
• POSITION FINDING
• REFRACTIVE INDEX
• TRACKING
• WAVE PROPAGATION

Subject Categories:

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE