Cover Page Prev Page Next Page About

Hint - Evaluate Special Orbits.


Certain values of inclination, mean motion and eccentricity lead to interesting effects. For example, proper choice of the inclination can lead to a sun-synchronous orbit, which passes over a given spot at exactly the same local time each day. Other values will inhibit the precession of the orbit, so that the satellite position will repeat every year. And so on. One way to investigate this, is to use the Satellite Information Window Edit option, enter a set of elements, and a new epoch (for example the same time of day, but 1 day week, or year later). Then choose Special:Propagate Elements to Epoch to calculate the new elements. Note the longitude of the node (position on earth) and the Right Ascencion of the node (position in space). Also the Argument of Perigee (related to the latitude of perigee) is interesting.

Converted by Winhelp to Web