Delta-DOR


Delta-Differential One-Way Ranging is an interplanetary radio-tracking and navigation technique.

How it is done

Radio signals from the spacecraft are received by two widely separated deep-space ground stations on earth and the difference in the times of signal arrival is precisely measured. This is corrected using information about the current delays due to Earth's atmosphere, obtained by simultaneously tracking radio signals from a quasar.
NASA uses its Deep Space Network to pick up signals from the spacecraft that tell navigators where the spacecraft are located.
This navigation service is called "tracking coverage" and it includes Doppler, ranging and delta differential one-way ranging, or "Delta DOR."
ESA has the ESA Deep Space Network, China has the Chinese Deep Space Network and India has the Indian Deep Space Network.

Missions that used it

used a Δ-DOR system for Venus Express' orbit insertion in April 2006 and to Rosetta's Mars swingby in February 2007.
CNSA is using Δ-DOR technique for Chang'e series lunar spacecraft tracking
ISRO is using Δ-DOR for the Mars Orbiter Mission.
ESA is using Δ-DOR for the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter.