Orbit prediction and shuttle rendezvous strategy for eureca

The European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA) is a platform to be launched, deployed and retrieved in low Earth orbit by the Space Shuttle.A newly developed analytical orbit prediction method is described which meets the severe requirements for EURECA's orbit propagation. It is based on an averaging procedure including the Earth's zonal harmonics J₂, J₃ and J₄ and a refined treatment of the air drag perturbation where EURECA's large solar panels are taken into account. Some orbit prediction results are included.In order to offer more flexibility for the Shuttle retrieval of EURECA, it is proposed to execute a part of the rendezvous manoeuvres by EURECA. A corresponding strategy is described.