Author Topic: current models of lunar gravity  (Read 2008 times)

Offline khallow

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current models of lunar gravity
« on: 09/25/2007 09:14 pm »
I understand the mass concentration in the Moon is still poorly understood and that this uncertainty leads to large errors in lunar orbit trajectories over time. But does anyone know of current models for calculating lunar orbit trajectories? Alternately, does anyone know of models that calculate the Moon's gravitational field? I'd also be interested in computational models, if they exist.

Reading around, I see vague reference to work by William Wollenhaupt and Emil Schiesse, both of the NASA Manned Space Center in Houston. Their model was apparently applied to Apollo 12 (the second landing on the Moon in late 1969) and maybe later Apollo missions as well.
Karl Hallowell

Offline kfsorensen

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RE: current models of lunar gravity
« Reply #1 on: 09/25/2007 11:58 pm »
Current models of lunar gravity are poor for the farside since we are currently unable to track satellites on the lunar farside.  A relay at EML2 would mitigate this problem and permit truly global lunar gravity maps.

Offline simonbp

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RE: current models of lunar gravity
« Reply #2 on: 09/27/2007 08:11 pm »
Quote
vanilla - 25/9/2007  4:58 PM

Current models of lunar gravity are poor for the farside since we are currently unable to track satellites on the lunar farside.  A relay at EML2 would mitigate this problem and permit truly global lunar gravity maps.

SELENE brought along two minisats, one for farside relay, and the other for gravity mapping, so that deficiency should corrected shortly...

Simon ;)

Offline khallow

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Re: current models of lunar gravity
« Reply #3 on: 10/02/2007 12:28 am »
Thanks a lot. Guess I'll have to look some more, but it'll be interesting to see what models they come with after this.
Karl Hallowell

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