Initial orbit determination is an incredibly valuable tool in the field of space situational awareness (SSA). As the number of launches increases every year, more objects are being put into space around the Earth and with political tensions mounting between certain space-accessing countries such as the United States of America (USA), Russia, and China, the number of satellites whose orbits are unknown to a political rival are increasing as well. In this research, orbit estimation of uncooperative target satellites from the point of view of novel orbits using particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is explored. Two cost functions for the PSO algorithm are investigated. The first cost function investigated uses the solution to Lambert’s Problem to estimate the initial velocity of the target. The second cost function uses a full estimated state instead of just the position as used in the first cost function. Having the observer satellite in a novel orbit called Rock-Around orbit (RAO) about an area of interest expands the viewing opportunities for that area, allowing for more measurements of the target satellite and more confidence in the estimated orbit of the target. RAOs are based off flower constellation theory which allows for an increased observation area. The RAO of the observer allows the observer to oscillate about a region of interest, in which the target orbit resides. This research shows that the PSO algorithm with both cost functions can successfully estimate the initial state of the target.
","abstract_html":"<p>Initial orbit determination is an incredibly valuable tool in the field of space situational awareness (SSA). As the number of launches increases every year, more objects are being put into space around the Earth and with political tensions mounting between certain space-accessing countries such as the United States of America (USA), Russia, and China, the number of satellites whose orbits are unknown to a political rival are increasing as well. In this research, orbit estimation of uncooperative target satellites from the point of view of novel orbits using particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is explored. Two cost functions for the PSO algorithm are investigated. The first cost function investigated uses the solution to Lambert’s Problem to estimate the initial velocity of the target. The second cost function uses a full estimated state instead of just the position as used in the first cost function. Having the observer satellite in a novel orbit called Rock-Around orbit (RAO) about an area of interest expands the viewing opportunities for that area, allowing for more measurements of the target satellite and more confidence in the estimated orbit of the target. RAOs are based off flower constellation theory which allows for an increased observation area. The RAO of the observer allows the observer to oscillate about a region of interest, in which the target orbit resides. This research shows that the PSO algorithm with both cost functions can successfully estimate the initial state of the target.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Yow, Taylor"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering","degree_level":"Thesis - Open Access","degree_discipline":"Aerospace Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-04-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2024-04-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:26:22Z","subjects":["Astrodynamics","PSO","Rock-Around Orbits"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.erau.edu/edt/845","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Yow, Taylor"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Aerospace Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Astrodynamics","PSO","Rock-Around Orbits"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.erau.edu/edt/845"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Initial orbit determination is an incredibly valuable tool in the field of space situational awareness (SSA). As the number of launches increases every year, more objects are being put into space around the Earth and with political tensions mounting between certain space-accessing countries such as the United States of America (USA), Russia, and China, the number of satellites whose orbits are unknown to a political rival are increasing as well. In this research, orbit estimation of uncooperative target satellites from the point of view of novel orbits using particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is explored. Two cost functions for the PSO algorithm are investigated. The first cost function investigated uses the solution to Lambert’s Problem to estimate the initial velocity of the target. The second cost function uses a full estimated state instead of just the position as used in the first cost function. Having the observer satellite in a novel orbit called Rock-Around orbit (RAO) about an area of interest expands the viewing opportunities for that area, allowing for more measurements of the target satellite and more confidence in the estimated orbit of the target. RAOs are based off flower constellation theory which allows for an increased observation area. The RAO of the observer allows the observer to oscillate about a region of interest, in which the target orbit resides. This research shows that the PSO algorithm with both cost functions can successfully estimate the initial state of the target.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Initial Orbit Determination of Uncooperative Satellites Using Particle Swarm Optimization From the Point of View of a Novel Observer Orbit"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Yow, Taylor"],"dc:description.abstract":["Initial orbit determination is an incredibly valuable tool in the field of space situational awareness (SSA). As the number of launches increases every year, more objects are being put into space around the Earth and with political tensions mounting between certain space-accessing countries such as the United States of America (USA), Russia, and China, the number of satellites whose orbits are unknown to a political rival are increasing as well. In this research, orbit estimation of uncooperative target satellites from the point of view of novel orbits using particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is explored. Two cost functions for the PSO algorithm are investigated. The first cost function investigated uses the solution to Lambert’s Problem to estimate the initial velocity of the target. The second cost function uses a full estimated state instead of just the position as used in the first cost function. Having the observer satellite in a novel orbit called Rock-Around orbit (RAO) about an area of interest expands the viewing opportunities for that area, allowing for more measurements of the target satellite and more confidence in the estimated orbit of the target. RAOs are based off flower constellation theory which allows for an increased observation area. The RAO of the observer allows the observer to oscillate about a region of interest, in which the target orbit resides. This research shows that the PSO algorithm with both cost functions can successfully estimate the initial state of the target.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.erau.edu/edt/845"],"dc:subject":["Astrodynamics","PSO","Rock-Around Orbits"],"dc:title":["Initial Orbit Determination of Uncooperative Satellites Using Particle Swarm Optimization From the Point of View of a Novel Observer Orbit"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Aerospace Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:26:22Z"}