A review of the methods and means of satellite gravimetry and the setting of the task of researching the capabilities of a multi-satellite gravimetric system based on nanosatellites

S.I. Donchenko, V.F. Fateev, V.P. Lopatin, R.A. Davlatov

FSUE “VNIIFTRI”, Mendeleevo, Moscow region, Russia
generalfat@mail.ru

Al’manac of Modern Metrology № 1 (37) 2024, pages 8–51

Abstract. The article discusses the space on-board methods for determining the parameters of the gravitational field of the Earth using single-satellite and multi-satellite measuring systems of the GOCE, GRACE, GRACE-FO. It is shown that they provide measurements of only the components of the second gradients of the gravitational field and are not designed to measure the difference in potentials and the first gradient of the field — gravitational acceleration of the satellite. The well-known projects of sa­tel­lite radio altimeters are considered to ensure the measurement of the profile of the current height of the geoid and the constituent deflection of vertical. The space on-board bistatic radio altimeter on the GNSS signals reflected from the water surface is presented for the multi-position determination of the profile of the current height of the geoid in the world ocean. Foreign projects of this radio altimeter are considered, including on the basis of nanosatellites. An analysis of the results of ground and space experiments on the GNSS-reflexometry conducted both in Russia and other countries on nanosatitees is presented. Based on the results of the analysis, research tasks are formulated.

Keywords: space gravitational gradiometer, geoid, satellite radio altimeter, GNSS-reflectometry, bistatic radar.

Full texts of articles are available only in Russian in printed issues of the magazine.

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