Orbital Drag Calibration Object Design Study

The proliferation of objects in LEO creates both a challenge for collision avoidance and an opportunity for thermospheric research. Each tracked object provides information on the atmospheric drag experienced along the orbit. However, uncertainties in object properties (geometry, mass, materials) limit the scientific and operational value of these observations. This design study proposes two calibration reference objects with precisely-known properties to advance thermospheric modeling and orbital prediction accuracy. We will pursue a dual-track approach: 1. PAssive Small CALibration (PaSCal) – A small spherical object designed for groundbased radar tracking with precisely-characterized mass, geometry, and surface properties that create a “clean” measurement to isolate atmospheric effects. 2. Active MIni CALibration (AMiCal) - A miniaturized calibration object with active GNSS-based orbit determination and communication capabilities, providing highprecision position data. PaSCal leverages ground-based tracking, ensuring long-term use as a calibration object, while AMiCal’s size increases rideshare opportunities and relies on direct orbital measurements independent of ground infrastructure.

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