Event Triggers in Linear Covariance Analysis with Applications to Orbital Rendezvous

Abstract

The analytic expressions for a generic event trigger for a linear covariance analysis are developed. The event triggers are applied to the analysis of a common orbital rendezvous problem. Some unexpected results are observed anda flawinanequationthatiscommonlyusedinstandardlinearcovarianceanalysisapplicationsisuncoveredand remedied. A quantitative analysis of the effect of elevation-angle triggers for various rendezvous scenarios is presented.