Scientists are using laser-based tracking and gravity data to improve how we monitor both satellites and space debris. By blending these methods, they can now predict orbits more precisely and gather insights on Earth’s gravity and water masses.
How are the Earth’s gravitational field and the paths of satellites and space debris connected? Earth’s gravitational field shapes the orbits of satellites and debris, and shifts in these orbits can reveal changes in the gravitational field, which also offers insights into water mass distribution on Earth.
In the COVER project, researchers at TU Graz’s Institute of Geodesy have enhanced gravity field calculations by combining satellite gravity measurements with satellite laser ranging (SLR). This approach not only improves gravity field models but also refines tracking and predictions for objects in orbit. These advancements are now available in the Gravity Recovery Object-Oriented Programming System (GROOPS) software—an open-source tool the Institute provides on GitHub.
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