Ballistic Coefficient Estimation for Reentry Prediction of Rocket Bodies in Eccentric Orbits Based on TLE Data

Figure 5

Cumulative distribution and 90%-confidence region of reentry prediction error using a single BC estimate (orange) or the median BC (blue) for (a) 91 objects 30 days before reentry and (b) 93 objects 60 days before reentry.

(a) 30 days before reentry; median taken from BC estimates between 90 and 30 days before reentry

(b) 60 days before reentry; median taken from BC estimates between 120 and 60 days before reentry