Precise geolocation of satellite data is extremely important in order to fully extract the relevant information from the instruments. In its extended mission period, the average altitude of the Kaguya orbiter was 50 km or lower, and data from this period thus have an increased spatial resolution. However, until now the geodetic position quality of these data was much worse than that of those acquired during the primary mission phase because of reduced radiometric tracking and frequent thrusting. The orbit of Kaguya in its extended mission has been redetermined with new models and data methods, using results from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission and data from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) onboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Using the altimetry from Kaguya’s Laser Altimeter (LALT) instrument as a measurement type by comparing it with LOLA topography, the orbit precision is greatly improved, to a level of several tens of meters whereas before it was at a level of several km. This results in better geolocation of the Kaguya extended mission data set.

Link to SELENE(Kaguya) orbit data updated this time(in SPICE SPK format)