On the determination of lunar gravity field in the Chinese first lunar prospector mission

Lunar gravity field acts on any moving object near the lunar space, and also is reflected by the motion of a lunar spacecraft. Some basic theories and techniques for the determination of lunar gravity field with deep space tracking data of a satellite are discussed in the paper. Analyzing the orbit height of a lunar satellite, the interval of sampling time provided by tracking stations on the Earth, and the accuracy of the tracking data, it is possible to obtain 30th degree lunar gravity field if only using the tracking data of the Chinese first lunar prospector mission. In this case the time interval of the earth tracking data should be no shorter than 75 seconds, the continuous tracking time should be no less than 30 day and night, and the interval of the sub lunar points on the lunar surface should be no larger than 110km.