The Onboard Algorithm for Averaging the Orbital Motion Parameters of the International Space Station in the ICARUS Experiment

Abstract

This paper describes the algorithm for averaging the orbital parameters of the International Space Station (ISS), which was implemented for the International Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space (ICARUS) experiment aboard the ISS. Based on the ballistic and navigational information received from the control system, the algorithm aboard the station calculates the orbital motion parameters in the Two Line Elements format. The acquired data are averaged using the least-square method. To ensure the algorithm’s execution on the platform of the ISS onboard computer in a realtime system, the process of calculations is distributed over computational cycles. The efficiency of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated using the results of mathematical simulation.