Publications related to the GRACE Missions (no abstracts)

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A Survey of Current Operations–Ready Thermospheric Density Models for Drag Modeling in LEO Operations

Mutschler, Shaylah, Pilinski, Marcin, Bruinsma, Sean, Sutton, Eric, Tobiska, W. Kent, Knipp, Delores, Fang, Tzu–Wei, Casali, Steve, Mallik, Vishnuu, DiLorenzo, Brandon, and Siemes, Christian, 2026. A Survey of Current Operations–Ready Thermospheric Density Models for Drag Modeling in LEO Operations. Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, 73(2):32, doi:10.1007/s40295-025-00558-8.

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@ARTICLE{2026JAnSc..73...32M,
       author = {{Mutschler}, Shaylah and {Pilinski}, Marcin and {Bruinsma}, Sean and {Sutton}, Eric and {Tobiska}, W. Kent and {Knipp}, Delores and {Fang}, Tzu-Wei and {Casali}, Steve and {Mallik}, Vishnuu and {DiLorenzo}, Brandon and {Siemes}, Christian},
        title = "{A Survey of Current Operations-Ready Thermospheric Density Models for Drag Modeling in LEO Operations}",
      journal = {Journal of the Astronautical Sciences},
     keywords = {Space weather, Satellite drag, Thermospheric density, LEO operations},
         year = 2026,
        month = mar,
       volume = {73},
       number = {2},
          eid = {32},
        pages = {32},
     abstract = "{In Low Earth Orbit (LEO), atmospheric drag is the largest contributor to
        trajectory prediction error. The current thermospheric density
        model used by the Combined Space Operations Center (CSpOC) in
        operations is the High Accuracy Satellite Drag Model (HASDM).
        Since HASDM is not available for use outside of the US
        Government, satellite operators are left to determine what
        publicly available, open-source density model they should
        integrate into their internal operational software. Given the
        ever more challenging nature of operations in LEO, it is
        imperative for satellite operators to update legacy density
        models to a state-of-the-art density model to provide improved
        trajectory predictions for collision risk assessment and vital
        day-to-day operational decisions. This article outlines four
        operations-ready thermospheric density models, describing their
        performance, computation time, required space weather inputs,
        and notes for implementation. Operations-ready models include
        the Drag Temperature Model (DTM), the Jacchia-Bowman 2008
        (JB2008) model, the US Naval Research Laboratory Mass
        Spectrometer and Incoherent Scatter radar 2.0 (NRLMSIS 2.0)
        model, and the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General
        Circulation Model (TIE-GCM). US Government operational density
        models, HASDM and the Whole Atmosphere Model and Ionosphere
        Plasmasphere Electrodynamics (WAM-IPE) model, are included for
        comparison. Models are evaluated against global HASDM density
        and local GRACE-FO satellite accelerometer densities and Swarm
        mission densities. Additionally, comparisons between HASDM and
        WAM-IPE nowcast and forecast density are revealed for the first
        time publicly.}",
          doi = {10.1007/s40295-025-00558-8},
       adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2026JAnSc..73...32M},
      adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System}
}

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