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 60790. 1.434 -2.072 -2.634
aji 60791. 1.473 -2.692 -2.656
aji 60792. 1.500 -3.651 -2.777
aji 60793. 1.417 -5.125 -2.841
Ajisai SGF - DGF
aji 60790. 0.351 1.952 0.351
aji 60791. 0.455 3.865 0.519
aji 60792. 0.402 6.470 0.735
aji 60793. 0.545 10.216 0.846
aji 60794. 0.902 13.603 0.887
Ajisai ITT - DGF
aji 60790. -1.083 4.024 2.985
aji 60791. -1.017 6.557 3.174
aji 60792. -1.098 10.121 3.512
aji 60793. -0.873 15.341 3.687
Beacon-C SGF - ITT
bec 60790. -0.673 -41.788 0.917
bec 60791. -2.922 -81.243 5.083
bec 60792. -3.720 -134.227 9.662
bec 60793. 1.438 -197.920 10.346
Etalon-1 SGF - ITT
eta 60790. 3.947 3.215 3.531
eta 60791. 6.539 3.762 5.417
eta 60792. 6.775 5.333 6.063
eta 60793. 5.734 6.553 6.697
Etalon-1 SGF - DGF
eta 60790. -1.791 2.626 3.539
eta 60791. -0.435 2.546 4.849
eta 60792. 0.387 3.039 4.988
eta 60793. 0.642 3.777 4.835
eta 60794. 0.676 4.289 4.770
Etalon-1 ITT - DGF
eta 60790. -5.739 -0.589 0.008
eta 60791. -6.974 -1.216 -0.568
eta 60792. -6.388 -2.294 -1.075
eta 60793. -5.093 -2.776 -1.862
Etalon-2 SGF - ITT
etb 60790. 5.963 20.724 -68.945
etb 60791. -7.662 29.905 -72.519
etb 60792. -14.776 26.194 -61.233
etb 60793. -14.739 52.227 -73.099
Etalon-2 SGF - DGF
etb 60790. 1.714 32.294 -13.479
etb 60791. -5.204 44.849 -11.922
etb 60792. -14.135 43.973 0.267
etb 60793. -0.528 16.599 4.310
etb 60794. 0.195 64.587 6.662
Etalon-2 ITT - DGF
etb 60790. -4.250 11.570 55.466
etb 60791. 2.458 14.944 60.597
etb 60792. 0.641 17.779 61.500
etb 60793. -12.604 30.616 61.748
Larets SGF - ITT
lar 60790. -0.438 -3.470 2.423
lar 60791. -1.445 -2.887 4.143
lar 60792. -3.124 -2.998 6.392
lar 60793. -3.776 0.436 7.243
Larets SGF - DGF
lar 60790. 2.157 -10.526 0.910
lar 60791. 3.020 -22.832 1.552
lar 60792. 8.169 -33.471 -2.099
lar 60793. 2.758 -60.529 3.934
lar 60794. 11.733 -78.572 -0.508
Larets ITT - DGF
lar 60790. 2.595 -7.057 -1.513
lar 60791. 4.466 -19.945 -2.590
lar 60792. 11.294 -30.473 -8.491
lar 60793. 6.534 -60.965 -3.309
LARES SGF - ITT
las 60790. 2.828 -2.013 -1.479
las 60791. 2.956 -2.636 -1.492
las 60792. 3.238 -3.490 -1.491
las 60793. 3.182 -4.924 -1.386
LARES SGF - DGF
las 60790. 0.042 0.434 0.001
las 60791. 0.077 0.524 -0.001
las 60792. 0.040 0.716 0.040
las 60793. 0.037 0.667 0.064
las 60794. 0.028 0.699 0.093
LARES ITT - DGF
las 60790. -2.785 2.447 1.480
las 60791. -2.879 3.160 1.491
las 60792. -3.198 4.206 1.531
las 60793. -3.145 5.591 1.450
LARES-2 SGF - DGF
la2 60790. 0.015 0.078 -0.073
la2 60791. 0.059 0.085 -0.096
la2 60792. 0.022 0.079 -0.080
la2 60793. 0.054 0.114 -0.103
la2 60794. 0.062 0.147 -0.107
LAGEOS-1 SGF - ITT
lga 60790. 2.715 0.183 -0.014
lga 60791. 4.571 1.099 -0.883
lga 60792. 3.126 3.081 -1.390
lga 60793. 3.012 4.691 0.576
LAGEOS-1 SGF - DGF
lga 60790. 0.034 -0.161 -0.074
lga 60791. 0.014 -0.184 -0.112
lga 60792. 0.029 -0.255 -0.130
lga 60793. 0.055 -0.381 -0.262
lga 60794. -0.050 -0.406 -0.208
LAGEOS-2 SGF - ITT
lgb 60790. 3.025 -2.839 -2.453
lgb 60791. 3.307 -4.359 -1.334
lgb 60792. 2.941 -9.128 -3.113
lgb 60793. 4.220 -10.784 -0.273
LAGEOS-2 SGF - DGF
lgb 60790. 0.032 0.022 -0.047
lgb 60791. 0.024 0.019 -0.016
lgb 60792. 0.028 -0.150 -0.099
lgb 60793. 0.068 -0.224 -0.011
lgb 60794. -0.024 -0.549 -0.200
Stella SGF - ITT
ste 60790. 3.356 0.679 -2.936
ste 60791. 3.163 2.664 -3.004
ste 60792. 2.620 3.943 -2.669
ste 60793. 2.588 4.390 -2.616
Stella SGF - DGF
ste 60790. -0.722 -1.655 0.295
ste 60791. -0.731 -4.024 0.182
ste 60792. -0.080 -6.132 -0.344
ste 60793. 0.004 -7.491 -0.527
ste 60794. -1.525 -9.163 1.082
Stella ITT - DGF
ste 60790. -4.078 -2.334 3.231
ste 60791. -3.893 -6.689 3.186
ste 60792. -2.700 -10.076 2.325
ste 60793. -2.585 -11.880 2.089
Starlette SGF - ITT
str 60790. 1.371 -1.467 -2.966
str 60791. 1.547 -2.418 -3.144
str 60792. 1.433 -3.264 -3.163
str 60793. 1.581 -3.383 -3.378
Starlette SGF - DGF
str 60790. -0.094 0.373 -0.136
str 60791. -0.178 -0.396 -0.159
str 60792. -0.282 -2.146 -0.192
str 60793. -0.319 -4.806 -0.331
str 60794. -0.561 -8.931 -0.184
Starlette ITT - DGF
str 60790. -1.465 1.840 2.830
str 60791. -1.726 2.021 2.984
str 60792. -1.716 1.118 2.972
str 60793. -1.900 -1.423 3.047