The gaussian noise which affects tracking measurements causes an error in the computed value of the orbit parameters. This study provides a method for evaluating: (a) the length of the arc over which the satellite must be tracked; (b) the number of measurements to be made along this arc; (c) the position of the arc with respect to the orbit, necessary to reach the desired accurary of the calculated orbit parameters for a given pointing error of the tracking antenna. It has been assumed that the errors of the tracking measurements have a known gaussian probability distribution, which may differ for each measurement. The equations relating the orbit parameters to the measurements performed have been linearized. It has been shown that the orbit parameters are gaussian random variables and their variance has been calculated as a function of (a), (b) and (c).