Satellite CPF Predictions
The ILRS network uses CPF orbit predictions provided by mission operators and analysis centres.
The SGF calculates precise satellite orbit predictions daily for most of the ILRS targets and makes these orbits available to other SLR stations internationally. These predictions can be compared in advance to those from other CPF providers so that stations and providers can be confident in their accuracy.
The Consolidated Prediction Format (CPF) is the official format used by the ILRS. It consists of geocentric X, Y, and Z positions at different epochs that can be interpolated for very accurate predictions. Accurate prediction of the positions of the full range of laser-tracked satellites is possible in a single, simple format.
The plots below compare the CPFs when there is more than one provider by taking the differences in metres between the orbital X, Y and Z values at zero hours for today and for the next three or four days.
Full residual plot comparisons are plotted here.
Difference between CPF Providers
JD X Y Z
Ajisai SGF - ITT
aji 60826. 2.172 -0.175 -2.342
aji 60827. 2.249 0.585 -1.783
aji 60828. 2.213 2.144 -1.899
aji 60829. 2.196 3.756 -1.335
Ajisai SGF - DGF
aji 60826. -0.423 5.344 -0.508
aji 60827. 0.116 10.909 -1.894
aji 60828. -0.626 18.094 -0.707
aji 60829. -2.457 25.172 -1.507
aji 60830. 1.894 37.017 -4.824
Ajisai ITT - DGF
aji 60826. -2.594 5.519 1.834
aji 60827. -2.133 10.325 -0.111
aji 60828. -2.839 15.949 1.193
aji 60829. -3.850 21.648 -0.215
Beacon-C SGF - ITT
bec 60826. 0.973 23.128 1.738
bec 60827. -0.057 45.576 4.030
bec 60828. -6.750 80.744 10.786
bec 60829. 1.835 119.123 6.152
Etalon-1 SGF - ITT
eta 60826. -2672.315 -4582.314 2042.689
eta 60827. -49.265 -6621.099 4800.703
eta 60828. 3356.993 -6113.829 4745.332
eta 60829. 2315.390 -5383.440 1209.672
Etalon-1 SGF - DGF
eta 60826. 0.148 0.504 -0.225
eta 60827. -0.068 0.626 -0.490
eta 60828. -0.331 0.524 -0.479
eta 60829. -0.247 0.504 -0.169
eta 60830. -0.251 0.470 -0.092
Etalon-1 ITT - DGF
eta 60826. 2672.463 4582.818 -2042.914
eta 60827. 49.197 6621.726 -4801.193
eta 60828. -3357.324 6114.356 -4745.808
eta 60829. -2315.595 5383.964 -1209.738
Etalon-2 SGF - ITT
etb 60826. 15.444 -20.132 -52.274
etb 60827. 19.548 -10.834 -49.167
etb 60828. 12.634 -4.030 -46.241
etb 60829. 2.019 -8.346 -44.373
Etalon-2 SGF - DGF
etb 60826. -0.162 -0.090 0.014
etb 60827. -0.137 -0.229 -0.050
etb 60828. -0.053 -0.387 -0.087
etb 60829. 0.165 -0.504 -0.360
etb 60830. 0.238 -0.439 -0.080
Etalon-2 ITT - DGF
etb 60826. -15.606 20.041 52.289
etb 60827. -19.685 10.605 49.117
etb 60828. -12.687 3.643 46.154
etb 60829. -1.912 7.859 44.245
Larets SGF - ITT
lar 60826. 19.009 -26.716 -21.688
lar 60827. 29.163 -37.523 -33.281
lar 60828. 24.092 -76.106 -28.458
lar 60829. 49.319 -89.778 -54.055
Larets SGF - DGF
lar 60826. -5.713 18.582 3.058
lar 60827. -12.353 34.194 8.408
lar 60828. -7.166 67.084 3.459
lar 60829. -11.381 102.054 7.395
lar 60830. -26.234 122.497 20.284
Larets ITT - DGF
lar 60826. -24.721 45.299 24.746
lar 60827. -41.516 71.717 41.689
lar 60828. -31.258 143.190 31.917
lar 60829. -75.040 177.200 72.971
LARES SGF - ITT
las 60826. 2.414 3.191 2.116
las 60827. 1.648 5.372 3.596
las 60828. 2.498 8.905 4.964
las 60829. 0.741 11.747 6.599
LARES SGF - DGF
las 60826. 0.030 0.448 0.052
las 60827. -0.063 0.846 0.155
las 60828. 0.018 1.388 0.197
las 60829. -0.242 2.045 0.250
las 60830. 0.124 3.019 0.261
LARES ITT - DGF
las 60826. -2.384 -2.743 -2.064
las 60827. -1.712 -4.526 -3.441
las 60828. -2.480 -7.517 -4.768
las 60829. -0.983 -9.702 -6.349
LARES-2 SGF - DGF
la2 60826. -0.002 0.106 -0.018
la2 60827. -0.010 0.152 -0.003
la2 60828. 0.019 0.200 -0.002
la2 60829. -0.003 0.260 -0.002
la2 60830. -0.024 0.302 0.025
LAGEOS-1 SGF - ITT
lga 60826. 4.569 -0.478 -0.108
lga 60827. 4.473 1.140 0.386
lga 60828. 4.785 0.975 0.790
lga 60829. 4.619 2.618 0.836
LAGEOS-1 SGF - DGF
lga 60826. -0.008 -0.123 -0.067
lga 60827. 0.007 -0.184 -0.108
lga 60828. 0.018 -0.159 -0.138
lga 60829. 0.009 -0.317 -0.193
lga 60830. 0.030 -0.302 -0.220
LAGEOS-2 SGF - ITT
lgb 60826. 4.035 2.977 -3.425
lgb 60827. 2.515 4.416 -2.734
lgb 60828. 4.780 7.013 -3.038
lgb 60829. 2.035 8.461 -2.634
LAGEOS-2 SGF - DGF
lgb 60826. 0.000 0.025 0.016
lgb 60827. 0.031 0.003 0.020
lgb 60828. -0.003 -0.169 0.011
lgb 60829. 0.092 -0.273 0.082
lgb 60830. 0.048 -0.621 -0.062
Stella SGF - ITT
ste 60826. 3.352 0.249 -0.999
ste 60827. 3.331 0.799 -0.623
ste 60828. 3.295 0.693 -0.125
ste 60829. 3.099 0.842 0.340
Stella SGF - DGF
ste 60826. 0.428 2.538 -0.144
ste 60827. 0.995 4.501 -0.917
ste 60828. 2.178 7.816 -1.765
ste 60829. 1.317 13.495 -1.214
ste 60830. 0.902 18.468 -1.072
Stella ITT - DGF
ste 60826. -2.924 2.290 0.855
ste 60827. -2.336 3.702 -0.294
ste 60828. -1.117 7.123 -1.641
ste 60829. -1.782 12.654 -1.554
Starlette SGF - ITT
str 60826. 1.590 4.750 -3.497
str 60827. 1.831 7.371 -3.403
str 60828. 1.569 9.904 -3.318
str 60829. 0.902 12.604 -3.252
Starlette SGF - DGF
str 60826. -0.152 0.332 0.038
str 60827. -0.132 0.417 0.064
str 60828. -0.105 0.288 0.054
str 60829. -0.169 0.094 0.086
str 60830. -0.168 -0.294 0.140
Starlette ITT - DGF
str 60826. -1.741 -4.418 3.535
str 60827. -1.963 -6.954 3.467
str 60828. -1.674 -9.616 3.372
str 60829. -1.071 -12.510 3.338