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Sun-synchronous repeat ground tracks and other useful orbits for future space missions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2020

S.W. Paek Open the ORCID record for S.W. Paek [Opens in a new window] ,
S. Kim Open the ORCID record for S. Kim [Opens in a new window] ,
L. Kronig  and
O. de Weck Open the ORCID record for O. de Weck [Opens in a new window]
S.W. Paek*
Affiliation:
Materials R&D Centre, Samsung SDI, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
S. Kim
Affiliation:
Centre for Electronic Materials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
L. Kronig
Affiliation:
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Space Engineering Centre (eSpace), Lausanne, Switzerland
O. de Weck
Affiliation:
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
*
pswpsh@gmail.com
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Abstract

The development of oceanography and meteorology has greatly benefited from satellite-based data of Earth’s atmosphere and ocean. Traditional Earth observation missions have utilised Sun-synchronous orbits with repeat ground tracks due to their advantages in visible and infrared wavelengths. However, diversification of observation wavelengths and massive deployment of miniaturised satellites are both enabling and necessitating new kinds of space missions. This paper proposes several unconventional satellite orbits intended for use in, but not limited to, Earth observation. This ‘toolbox’ of orbits and taxonomy thereof will thus support the definition of design requirements for the individual satellites in nano-satellite constellations developed by national space agencies, industries and academia.

Keywords

Sun-synchronous orbitRepeat ground tracksEarth observationRemote sensing
Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 124 , Issue 1276 , June 2020 , pp. 917 - 939
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal Aeronautical Society

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Footnotes

A version of this paper was first presented at the 18th Australian International Aerospace Congress in February 2019.

References

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