On the contribution of PRIDE-JUICE to Jovian system ephemerides

Abstract

The JUICE mission will perform detailed measurements of the properties of the Galilean moons, with a nominal in-system science-mission duration of about 3.5 years. Using both the radio tracking data, and (Earth- and JUICE-based) optical astrometry, the dynamics of the Galilean moons will be measured to unprecedented accuracy. This will provide crucial input to the determination of the ephemerides and physical properties of the system, most notably the dissipation in Io and Jupiter. The data from Planetary Radio Interferometry and Doppler Experiment (PRIDE) will provide the lateral position of the spacecraft in the ICRF. In this article, we analyze the relative quantitative influence of the JUICE-PRIDE observables to the determination of the ephemerides of the Jovian system and the associated physical parameters. We perform a covariance analysis for a broad range of mission and system characteristics. We analyze the influence of VLBI data quality, observation planning, as well as the influence of JUICE orbit determination quality. This provides key input for the further development of the PRIDE observational planning and ground segment development. Our analysis indicates that the VLBI data are especially important for constraining the dynamics of Ganymede and Callisto perpendicular to their orbital planes. Also, the use of the VLBI data makes the uncertainty in the ephemerides less dependent on the error in the orbit determination of the JUICE spacecraft itself. Furthermore, we find that optical astrometry data of especially Io using the JANUS instrument will be crucial for stabilizing the solution of the normal equations. Knowledge of the dissipation in the Jupiter system cannot be improved using satellite dynamics obtained from JUICE data alone, the uncertainty in Io's dissipation obtained from our simulations is similar to the present level of uncertainty.

18 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in PSS

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• Spacecraft VLBI and Doppler tracking: algorithms and implementation
• Orbital Perturbations of the Galilean Satellites During Planetary Encounters
• The formation of the Galilean moons and Titan in the Grand Tack scenario
• Astrometry of Cassini with the VLBA to Improve the Saturn Ephemeris
• Planetary Radio Interferometry and Doppler Experiment (PRIDE) of the JUICE mission

Cited by in corpus (14)

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• Propagation and Estimation of the Dynamical Behaviour of Gravitationally Interacting Rigid Bodies
• High spectral resolution multi-tone Spacecraft Doppler tracking software: Algorithms and implementations
• Decoupled and coupled moons' ephemerides estimation strategies -- Application to the JUICE mission
• Dynamical history of the Galilean satellites for a fast migration of Callisto
• Analytical ray-tracing in planetary atmospheres
• Milliarcsecond astrometry for the Galilean moons using stellar occultations
• Combining astrometry and JUICE -- Europa Clipper radio science to improve the ephemerides of the Galilean moons
• Spacecraft VLBI tracking to enhance stellar occultations astrometry of planetary satellites
• Orbit determination methods for interplanetary missions: development and use of the Orbit14 software
• Contribution of PRIDE VLBI products to the joint JUICE-Europa Clipper moons' ephemerides solution
• Portuguese SKA White Book