Handbook of Satellite Orbits from Kepler to GPS Michel Capderou

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Handbook of Satellite Orbits from Kepler to GPS Michel Capderou Handbook of Satellite Orbits From Kepler to GPS Michel Capderou Handbook of Satellite Orbits From Kepler to GPS Translated by Stephen Lyle Foreword by Charles Elachi, Director, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA 123 Michel Capderou Universite´ Pierre et Marie Curie Paris, France ISBN 978-3-319-03415-7 ISBN 978-3-319-03416-4 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-03416-4 Springer Cham Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London Library of Congress Control Number: 2014930341 © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Duplication of this pub- lication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Copyright Law of the Publisher’s location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Permis- sions for use may be obtained through RightsLink at the Copyright Clearance Center. Violations are liable to prosecution under the respective Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publica- tion, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) Foreword Since the dawn of the space age with the launch of Sputnik 1 and Ex- plorer 1, orbital mechanics became a major discipline in space exploration. This book reflects many years of research and teaching in this field by Michel Capderou. It is a comprehensive and modern treatment of the theory of or- bital mechanics, its application, and current day samples of how it is used in the field. In that sense, it is not just a textbook for classroom-style lectures; it is truly a handbook for practitioners. It is full of fascinating historical information and references that intrigue the readers to follow the anecdotes and details on how this particular disci- pline evolved from the collective genius of giants in mathematics, physics and astronomy such as Tycho Brahe, Kepler, Newton, Galileo, Lagrange, Laplace, Gauss, Poincar´e and Einstein. This story telling not only makes reading in- teresting but also challenges the readers to understand the fundamentals used by these giants before the advent of computers. Most classroom-style textbook would skip intermediate steps in the deriva- tion of equations or refer the readers to the original papers or textbooks. This book provides sufficient intermediate steps so readers with basic freshman mathematics can follow the logical steps. Its treatment of geodesy, geopoten- tial and perturbation methods connects theory to physical measurements and observables. The chapter on Orbit and Mission is unique in that it provides a comprehensive survey of how theory is applied to real-life missions. It connects this discipline to science and inspires the reader to appreciate how a satellite orbit provides a special vantage point for conducting scientific measurements. Orbital mechanics is not just about getting into space, but it is integral to the measurement technique such as altimetry, radar topography, radio occul- tation, interferometry and gravity field through radiometric observables. The comprehensive treatment on designing an orbit for systematic ground track control and target point visibility is unique. In the past, practitioners had to conduct a literature search and examine multiple publications. Its treatment on GPS begs the reader to further explore the world of precision orbit deter- mination, timing and terrestrial reference frame. The book is sprinkled with stories of much innovative use of “tricks” in orbital mechanics such as frozen orbit, sun-synchronicity, aerobraking, libration point and Lissajous orbits, and gravity assist that enables missions like Voyager Grand Tour, Galileo, Cassini- V VI Foreword Huygens and tours of their satellites. This book has superb illustrations and graphics enhanced by colorful photographs. Since the flight of Explorer 1, JPL prides itself in pioneering techniques in orbital mechanics and its applications to carry out NASA’s mission in space-borne observation of our Earth; in fly-by, orbiting and landing of plan- etary bodies and their satellites; in astronomical telescopes that can observe our galaxy and the early Universe. We continue to recruit the best and the brightest graduates in this discipline from universities around the world, who understand not only the physics and mathematics of orbital mechanics but also its applications of real-life missions. The Handbook of Satellite Orbits: From Kepler to GPS is exactly what is needed for all graduates of this disci- pline. Michel Capderou’s book is an essential treatise in orbital mechanics for all students, lecturers and practitioners in this field, as well as other aerospace systems engineers. Charles Elachi Director NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA, USA Preface Of all the fields of modern science and technology, space exploration is the one that most clearly displays the following fundamental contrast: on the one hand, its theoretical basis is underpinned by long-established, historically tested and almost immutable, one might even say timeless, principles; on the other, the whole field of space science is undergoing meteoric technological evolution, with exponential growth, bringing with it a broad mix of commer- cial, political and ideological considerations. And so we have come from Kepler to GPS. Regarding the “immutable foundations”, we know that the notion of geopotential or the solution of Lagrange’s equations is no easy matter. We just hope that, with teaching experience among the ingredients, we have suc- ceeded in presenting these issues in a sufficiently clear and interesting way. To illustrate unbridled technological progress, we supply a wealth of examples. The book falls into six main parts: • The first part, consisting of Chaps. 1–3, is devoted to geodesy. We begin with the ellipse and its geometrical properties and work our way to the Earth’s gravitational potential and the geoid. • The second part, Chaps. 4–8, focuses on the motion of the satellite, working from the ideal, Keplerian case to the real, perturbed case. • The third part, Chaps. 9–11, takes us into the actual running and func- tioning of satellites, discussing their missions and the ways that orbits are designed to fulfil those missions. We consider some novel issues, such as the constant of Sun-synchronicity kh and, for recurrent satellites, the constant κ and the index Φ. Abundant illustrations are provided, always relating to past, present or future space programmes. VII VIII Preface • The fourth part, Chaps. 12 and 13, considers the instruments carried aboard the satellite from a geometrical point of view. We begin with the different ways of observing the Earth from a satellite, then move on to sampling, i.e. the conditions under which a given point on the Earth can view the satellite, considering the viewing angle and frequency of visibility. • We then devote the whole of Chap. 14 to GPS. This navigation system, entirely satellite-based, appeals to almost all branches of modern physics. • In the final part, Chaps. 15 and 16, we leave the confines of our own planet to apply all these theories first to Mars, then to the other planets of the Solar System, and even to the natural satellites of those planets, around which artificial satellites may gravitate. The orbit and sampling software Ixion forms the backbone of this book. We first developed it as a teaching tool for an M.Sc. in climatology and space observation, and also in the research context, as an aid to understanding issues of orbital elements, satellite–pixel–Sun configuration, and so on, which arise when processing the data transmitted to us by our satellites. But once the accuracy of Ixion had been proven in the context of real data, by the confrontation with pixels, one might say, we extended it to all types of orbit and included some didactic features that would make it accessible and useful to a broader audience. The software Ixion has since been used for preliminary studies of orbital strategy, as it is known, which serve to match orbital elements in the best possible way to the physical phenomena we need to observe. Among the orbits studied in this context, we cite the French–Indian satellite Megha-Tropiques and the planned Mars missions Premier-07 and MEMO. Ixion isoftenusedby our colleagues for calibration and validation campaigns in the field, as for the satellites Calipso, MetOp-A and -B, Megha-Tropiques, and others. Ixion/Web is the part of Ixion that is now accessible online. Our mapping software Atlas has been coupled with Ixion to produce graphical representa- tions of orbits and their ground tracks. We hope the maps it produces will be pleasant and useful to the reader.
Recommended publications
  • Analysis of Perturbations and Station-Keeping Requirements in Highly-Inclined Geosynchronous Orbits
    ANALYSIS OF PERTURBATIONS AND STATION-KEEPING REQUIREMENTS IN HIGHLY-INCLINED GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBITS Elena Fantino(1), Roberto Flores(2), Alessio Di Salvo(3), and Marilena Di Carlo(4) (1)Space Studies Institute of Catalonia (IEEC), Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), E.T.S.E.I.A.T., Colom 11, 08222 Terrassa (Spain), [email protected] (2)International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), Building C1, Campus Norte, UPC, Gran Capitan,´ s/n, 08034 Barcelona (Spain) (3)NEXT Ingegneria dei Sistemi S.p.A., Space Innovation System Unit, Via A. Noale 345/b, 00155 Roma (Italy), [email protected] (4)Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Strathclyde, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow G1 1XJ (United Kingdom), [email protected] Abstract: There is a demand for communications services at high latitudes that is not well served by conventional geostationary satellites. Alternatives using low-altitude orbits require too large constellations. Other options are the Molniya and Tundra families (critically-inclined, eccentric orbits with the apogee at high latitudes). In this work we have considered derivatives of the Tundra type with different inclinations and eccentricities. By means of a high-precision model of the terrestrial gravity field and the most relevant environmental perturbations, we have studied the evolution of these orbits during a period of two years. The effects of the different perturbations on the constellation ground track (which is more important for coverage than the orbital elements themselves) have been identified. We show that, in order to maintain the ground track unchanged, the most important parameters are the orbital period and the argument of the perigee.
    [Show full text]
  • Astrodynamics
    Politecnico di Torino SEEDS SpacE Exploration and Development Systems Astrodynamics II Edition 2006 - 07 - Ver. 2.0.1 Author: Guido Colasurdo Dipartimento di Energetica Teacher: Giulio Avanzini Dipartimento di Ingegneria Aeronautica e Spaziale e-mail: [email protected] Contents 1 Two–Body Orbital Mechanics 1 1.1 BirthofAstrodynamics: Kepler’sLaws. ......... 1 1.2 Newton’sLawsofMotion ............................ ... 2 1.3 Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation . ......... 3 1.4 The n–BodyProblem ................................. 4 1.5 Equation of Motion in the Two-Body Problem . ....... 5 1.6 PotentialEnergy ................................. ... 6 1.7 ConstantsoftheMotion . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... 7 1.8 TrajectoryEquation .............................. .... 8 1.9 ConicSections ................................... 8 1.10 Relating Energy and Semi-major Axis . ........ 9 2 Two-Dimensional Analysis of Motion 11 2.1 ReferenceFrames................................. 11 2.2 Velocity and acceleration components . ......... 12 2.3 First-Order Scalar Equations of Motion . ......... 12 2.4 PerifocalReferenceFrame . ...... 13 2.5 FlightPathAngle ................................. 14 2.6 EllipticalOrbits................................ ..... 15 2.6.1 Geometry of an Elliptical Orbit . ..... 15 2.6.2 Period of an Elliptical Orbit . ..... 16 2.7 Time–of–Flight on the Elliptical Orbit . .......... 16 2.8 Extensiontohyperbolaandparabola. ........ 18 2.9 Circular and Escape Velocity, Hyperbolic Excess Speed . .............. 18 2.10 CosmicVelocities
    [Show full text]
  • Coordinates James R
    Coordinates James R. Clynch Naval Postgraduate School, 2002 I. Coordinate Types There are two generic types of coordinates: Cartesian, and Curvilinear of Angular. Those that provide x-y-z type values in meters, kilometers or other distance units are called Cartesian. Those that provide latitude, longitude, and height are called curvilinear or angular. The Cartesian and angular coordinates are equivalent, but only after supplying some extra information. For the spherical earth model only the earth radius is needed. For the ellipsoidal earth, two parameters of the ellipsoid are needed. (These can be any of several sets. The most common is the semi-major axis, called "a", and the flattening, called "f".) II. Cartesian Coordinates A. Generic Cartesian Coordinates These are the coordinates that are used in algebra to plot functions. For a two dimensional system there are two axes, which are perpendicular to each other. The value of a point is represented by the values of the point projected onto the axes. In the figure below the point (5,2) and the standard orientation for the X and Y axes are shown. In three dimensions the same process is used. In this case there are three axis. There is some ambiguity to the orientation of the Z axis once the X and Y axes have been drawn. There 1 are two choices, leading to right and left handed systems. The standard choice, a right hand system is shown below. Rotating a standard (right hand) screw from X into Y advances along the positive Z axis. The point Q at ( -5, -5, 10) is shown.
    [Show full text]
  • 2. Orbital Mechanics MAE 342 2016
    2/12/20 Orbital Mechanics Space System Design, MAE 342, Princeton University Robert Stengel Conic section orbits Equations of motion Momentum and energy Kepler’s Equation Position and velocity in orbit Copyright 2016 by Robert Stengel. All rights reserved. For educational use only. http://www.princeton.edu/~stengel/MAE342.html 1 1 Orbits 101 Satellites Escape and Capture (Comets, Meteorites) 2 2 1 2/12/20 Two-Body Orbits are Conic Sections 3 3 Classical Orbital Elements Dimension and Time a : Semi-major axis e : Eccentricity t p : Time of perigee passage Orientation Ω :Longitude of the Ascending/Descending Node i : Inclination of the Orbital Plane ω: Argument of Perigee 4 4 2 2/12/20 Orientation of an Elliptical Orbit First Point of Aries 5 5 Orbits 102 (2-Body Problem) • e.g., – Sun and Earth or – Earth and Moon or – Earth and Satellite • Circular orbit: radius and velocity are constant • Low Earth orbit: 17,000 mph = 24,000 ft/s = 7.3 km/s • Super-circular velocities – Earth to Moon: 24,550 mph = 36,000 ft/s = 11.1 km/s – Escape: 25,000 mph = 36,600 ft/s = 11.3 km/s • Near escape velocity, small changes have huge influence on apogee 6 6 3 2/12/20 Newton’s 2nd Law § Particle of fixed mass (also called a point mass) acted upon by a force changes velocity with § acceleration proportional to and in direction of force § Inertial reference frame § Ratio of force to acceleration is the mass of the particle: F = m a d dv(t) ⎣⎡mv(t)⎦⎤ = m = ma(t) = F ⎡ ⎤ dt dt vx (t) ⎡ f ⎤ ⎢ ⎥ x ⎡ ⎤ d ⎢ ⎥ fx f ⎢ ⎥ m ⎢ vy (t) ⎥ = ⎢ y ⎥ F = fy = force vector dt
    [Show full text]
  • Signal in Space Error and Ephemeris Validity Time Evaluation of Milena and Doresa Galileo Satellites †
    sensors Article Signal in Space Error and Ephemeris Validity Time Evaluation of Milena and Doresa Galileo Satellites † Umberto Robustelli * , Guido Benassai and Giovanni Pugliano Department of Engineering, Parthenope University of Naples, 80143 Napoli, Italy; [email protected] (G.B.); [email protected] (G.P.) * Correspondence: [email protected] † This paper is an extended version of our paper published in the 2018 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for the Sea proceedings entitled “Accuracy evaluation of Doresa and Milena Galileo satellites broadcast ephemeris”. Received: 14 March 2019; Accepted: 11 April 2019; Published: 14 April 2019 Abstract: In August 2016, Milena (E14) and Doresa (E18) satellites started to broadcast ephemeris in navigation message for testing purposes. If these satellites could be used, an improvement in the position accuracy would be achieved. A small error in the ephemeris would impact the accuracy of positioning up to ±2.5 m, thus orbit error must be assessed. The ephemeris quality was evaluated by calculating the SISEorbit (in orbit Signal In Space Error) using six different ephemeris validity time thresholds (14,400 s, 10,800 s, 7200 s, 3600 s, 1800 s, and 900 s). Two different periods of 2018 were analyzed by using IGS products: DOYs 52–71 and DOYs 172–191. For the first period, two different types of ephemeris were used: those received in IGS YEL2 station and the BRDM ones. Milena (E14) and Doresa (E18) satellites show a higher SISEorbit than the others. If validity time is reduced, the SISEorbit RMS of Milena (E14) and Doresa (E18) greatly decreases differently from the other satellites, for which the improvement, although present, is small.
    [Show full text]
  • Satellite Ground Tracks the Six Classical Orbital Elements Allow Us to Describe What an Orbit Looks Like in Space
    Sally Ride EarthKAM EarthKAM on the International Space Station Satellite Ground Tracks The Six Classical Orbital Elements allow us to describe what an orbit looks like in space. What we need to know next is what part of Earth the satellite is passing over at any given time. A ground track shows the location on the Earth that the spacecraft flies directly over during its orbit of Earth. To understand ground tracks, we need to know: The ground track follows what is called a great circle route around Earth. A great circle is any circle that cuts through the center of the Earth. All ground-track drawings use the latitude/longitude system. Latitude: Latitude measures how far north or south of the equator a point lies. The equator is at zero degrees latitude, the North Pole is at 90 degrees north latitude, and the South Pole is at 90 degrees south latitude. Longitude: Longitude measures how far east or west a point lies from an imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole through Greenwich, England. This line is called the prime meridian. The longitude varies from 0 degrees at the prime meridian to 180 degrees west and 180 east. > Ground-track drawings appear on a Mercator projection of the Earth’s surface. This type of map allows the entire surface of the round world to be represented on a flat map. > The projection of a spacecraft orbit on a flat map (Mercator projection) looks like a sine wave. This is the spacecraft’s ground track.
    [Show full text]
  • The Physics of Space Security a Reference Manual
    THE PHYSICS The Physics of OF S P Space Security ACE SECURITY A Reference Manual David Wright, Laura Grego, and Lisbeth Gronlund WRIGHT , GREGO , AND GRONLUND RECONSIDERING THE RULES OF SPACE PROJECT RECONSIDERING THE RULES OF SPACE PROJECT 222671 00i-088_Front Matter.qxd 9/21/12 9:48 AM Page ii 222671 00i-088_Front Matter.qxd 9/21/12 9:48 AM Page iii The Physics of Space Security a reference manual David Wright, Laura Grego, and Lisbeth Gronlund 222671 00i-088_Front Matter.qxd 9/21/12 9:48 AM Page iv © 2005 by David Wright, Laura Grego, and Lisbeth Gronlund All rights reserved. ISBN#: 0-87724-047-7 The views expressed in this volume are those held by each contributor and are not necessarily those of the Officers and Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Please direct inquiries to: American Academy of Arts and Sciences 136 Irving Street Cambridge, MA 02138-1996 Telephone: (617) 576-5000 Fax: (617) 576-5050 Email: [email protected] Visit our website at www.amacad.org or Union of Concerned Scientists Two Brattle Square Cambridge, MA 02138-3780 Telephone: (617) 547-5552 Fax: (617) 864-9405 www.ucsusa.org Cover photo: Space Station over the Ionian Sea © NASA 222671 00i-088_Front Matter.qxd 9/21/12 9:48 AM Page v Contents xi PREFACE 1 SECTION 1 Introduction 5 SECTION 2 Policy-Relevant Implications 13 SECTION 3 Technical Implications and General Conclusions 19 SECTION 4 The Basics of Satellite Orbits 29 SECTION 5 Types of Orbits, or Why Satellites Are Where They Are 49 SECTION 6 Maneuvering in Space 69 SECTION 7 Implications of
    [Show full text]
  • Aas 16-224 Corrections on Repeating Ground-Track
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Repositorio Universidad de Zaragoza AAS 16-224 CORRECTIONS ON REPEATING GROUND-TRACK ORBITS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS IN SATELLITE CONSTELLATION DESIGN David Arnas,∗ Daniel Casanova,y and Eva Tresacoz The aim of the constellation design model shown in this paper is to generate constellations whose satellites share the same ground-track in a given time, making all the satellites pass over the same points of the Earth surface. The model takes into account a series of orbital perturbations such as the gravitational potential of the Earth, the atmospheric drag, the Sun and the Moon as disturbing third bodies or the solar radiation pressure. It also includes a new numerical method that improves the repeating ground-track property of any given satellite subjected to these perturbations. Moreover, the whole model allows to design constellations with multiple tracks that can be distributed in a minimum number of inertial orbits. INTRODUCTION Space has become a strategic resource that offers an unlimited number of possibilities. Scientific and military missions, telecommunications or Earth observation are some of its most important applications and have led the sector to a quick expansion with an increasing number of satellites orbiting the Earth. Satellites lie in a very advantageous position that allows the observation of vast regions of the Earth in short periods of time, an objective which is difficult to achieve with human and technical means in ground. This advantage can be improved even further with the concept of satellite constellations. Satellite constellations are groups of satellites that, having the same mission, work cooperatively to achieve it.
    [Show full text]
  • Artifical Earth-Orbiting Satellites
    Artifical Earth-orbiting satellites László Csurgai-Horváth Department of Broadband Infocommunications and Electromagnetic Theory The first satellites in orbit Sputnik-1(1957) Vostok-1 (1961) Jurij Gagarin Telstar-1 (1962) Kepler orbits Kepler’s laws (Johannes Kepler, 1571-1630) applied for satellites: 1.) The orbit of a satellite around the Earth is an ellipse, one focus of which coincides with the center of the Earth. 2.) The radius vector from the Earth’s center to the satellite sweeps over equal areas in equal time intervals. 3.) The squares of the orbital periods of two satellites are proportional to the cubes of their semi-major axis: a3/T2 is equal for all satellites (MEO) Kepler orbits: equatorial coordinates The Keplerian elements: uniquely describe the location and velocity of the satellite at any given point in time using equatorial coordinates r = (x, y, z) (to solve the equation of Newton’s law for gravity for a two-body problem) Z Y Elements: X Vernal equinox: a Semi-major axis : direction to the Sun at the beginning of spring e Eccentricity (length of day==length of night) i Inclination Ω Longitude of the ascending node (South to North crossing) ω Argument of perigee M Mean anomaly (angle difference of a fictitious circular vs. true elliptical orbit) Earth-centered orbits Sidereal time: Earth rotation vs. fixed stars One sidereal (astronomical) day: one complete Earth rotation around its axis (~4min shorter than a normal day) Coordinated universal time (UTC): - derived from atomic clocks Ground track of a satellite in low Earth orbit: Perturbations 1. The Earth’s radius at the poles are 20km smaller (flattening) The effects of the Earth's atmosphere Gravitational perturbations caused by the Sun and Moon Other: .
    [Show full text]
  • Download Paper
    On-Orbit Meteor Impact Monitoring Using CubeSat Swarms Ravi teja Nallapu Space and Terrestrial Robotic Exploration Laboratory, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Arizona Himangshu Kalita Space and Terrestrial Robotic Exploration Laboratory, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Arizona Jekanthan Thangavelautham Space and Terrestrial Robotic Exploration Laboratory, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Arizona ABSTRACT Meteor impact events such as Chelyabinsk are known to cause catastrophic impacts every few hundred years. The modern-day fallout from such event can cause large loss of life and property. One satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) may get a glimpse of a meteor trail. However, a swarm constellation has the potential of performing persistent, real- time global tracking of an incoming meteor. Developing a swarm constellation using a fleet of large satellites is an expensive endeavor. A cost-effective alternative is to use CubeSats and small-satellites that contain the latest, onboard computers, sensors and communication devices for low-mass and low-volume. Our inspiration for a swarm constellation comes from eusocial insects that are composed of simple individuals, that are decentralized, that operate autonomously using only local sensing and are robust to individual losses. This work illustrates the design of a constellation of large number CubeSats in LEO at altitude of 400 km and higher, referred to as a swarm, in order to monitor the skies above entire North America. Specifically, this work extends the capability of a 3U CubeSat mission known as SWIMSat, by converting it into a swarm, to monitor the region over North America at an altitude of 140 km.
    [Show full text]
  • Geosynchronous Patrol Orbit for Space Situational Awareness
    Geosynchronous patrol orbit for space situational awareness Blair Thompson, Thomas Kelecy, Thomas Kubancik Applied Defense Solutions Tim Flora, Michael Chylla, Debra Rose Sierra Nevada Corporation ABSTRACT Applying eccentricity to a geosynchronous orbit produces both longitudinal and radial motion when viewed in Earth-fixed coordinates. An interesting family of orbits emerges, useful for “neighborhood patrol” space situational awareness and other missions. The basic result is a periodic (daily), quasi- elliptical, closed path around a fixed region of the geosynchronous (geo) orbit belt, keeping a sensor spacecraft in relatively close vicinity to designated geo objects. The motion is similar, in some regards, to the relative motion that may be encountered during spacecraft proximity operations, but on a much larger scale. The patrol orbit does not occupy a fixed slot in the geo belt, and the east-west motion can be combined with north-south motion caused by orbital inclination, leading to even greater versatility. Some practical uses of the geo patrol orbit include space surveillance (including catalog maintenance), and general space situational awareness. The patrol orbit offers improved, diverse observation geom- etry for angles-only sensors, resulting in faster, more accurate orbit determination compared to simple inclined geo orbits. In this paper, we analyze the requirements for putting a spacecraft in a patrol orbit, the unique station keeping requirements to compensate for perturbations, repositioning the patrol orbit to a different location along the geo belt, maneuvering into, around, and out of the volume for proximity operations with objects within the volume, and safe end-of-life disposal requirements. 1. INTRODUCTION The traditional geosynchronous (“geosynch” or “geo”) orbit is designed to keep a spacecraft in a nearly fixed position (longitude, latitude, and altitude) with respect to the rotating Earth.
    [Show full text]
  • Sentinel-3 Kml Orbit Files Gmespod
    SENTINEL-3 KML ORBIT FILES GMESPOD 26/09/2016 Prepared by: X C. Fernández Project Engineer Signed by: Carlos Fernández Martín 27/09/2016 26/09/2016 Approved by: X Authorised by: X J. Aguilar J. Fernández Quality manager Project Manager Firmado por: Juan Antonio Aguilar Miguel Signed by: Jaime Fernández Sánchez Document ID: GMV-GMESPOD-SRN-0012 DIL Code: None Internal Code: GMV 22939/16 V1/16 Version: 1.0 Date: 27/09/2016 GMV, 2016; all rights reserved Code: GMV-GMESPOD-SRN-0012 Date: 27/09/2016 Version: 1.0 Page: 2 of 12 DOCUMENT STATUS SHEET Version Date Pages Changes 1.0 27/09/2016 12 First version GMESPOD GMV 2016; all rights reserved Sentinel-3 KML Orbit Files Code: GMV-GMESPOD-SRN-0012 Date: 27/09/2016 Version: 1.0 Page: 3 of 12 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 6 1.1. PURPOSE ................................................................................................................................. 6 1.2. SCOPE .................................................................................................................................... 6 1.3. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS ................................................................................................. 6 1.4. APPLICABLE AND REFERENCE DOCUMENTS ............................................................................... 6 1.4.1. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS ..................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]