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Compact analytic solutions for a decaying, precessing circular orbit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

C.R. McInnes
C.R. McInnes*
Affiliation:
Department of Aerospace EngineeringUniversity of GlasgowScotland, UK
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Abstract

The evolution of low Earth orbit satellites under the action of atmospheric drag and J2 oblateness perturbations has been widely investigated. Simple analyses describing the altitude decay of a circular orbit through energy arguments have also been widely available. This paper extends these simple analyses by providing compact analytic expressions for true anomaly and ascending node angle along with a more accurate expression for altitude decay. The resulting solutions then allow a fast and efficient method of investigating the orbital evolution of decaying, precessing circular orbits. Applications include the rapid evaluation of station-keeping budgets for both single platforms and the orbital evolution of satellite constellations. Passive station-keeping by continuous low thrust acceleration is investigated and shown to be naturally unstable.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 98 , Issue 979 , November 1994 , pp. 357 - 360
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1994 

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