Development of a MATLAB/STK TLE Accuracy Assessment Tool, in support of the NASA Ames Space Traffic Management Project

Abstract: In order to improve the effectiveness of conjunction analysis using publically available Two Line Elements (TLEs) a number of strategies are being investigated as part of the Space Traffic Management project at NASA Ames Research Center. To assist in evaluating the effectiveness of these approaches a tool was developed in the MATLAB programming language that interfaces with the AGI Satellite Toolkit and with Microsoft Excel. The TLEs and any available truth ephemerides are read in by the tool and propagated orbits are compared using STK to estimate the errors. This tool is employed to determine the covariance and investigate the growth of errors in propagating the orbit of the CNESStella geodetic satellite. The different sources of error are assessed and future improvements to the tool are suggested.