INTERMEDIARY EQUATORIAL ORBITS OF AN ARTIFICIAL SATELLITE
Abstract
A previous paper derived the solution for the drag-free motion of an artificial satellite in the gravitational field of an oblate planet. The corresponding potential, expressed in oblate spheroidal coordinates, leads to separability and represents the even zonal harmonics exactly through the second, for any oblate planet, and approximately through the fourth, in the case of the earth. The previous paper contained a restriction on the orbital inclination I, viz., I sub c less than I less than 180 degrees - I sub c, where I sub c might be as large as 1 degree 54 minutes for an orbit sufficiently close to the earth. The present paper removes this restriction and shows that many of the formulae for the periodic terms may be simplified, when the orbit is equatorial or almost so. The results agree with those obtained by a direct two-dimensional solution, when the orbit is purely equatorial. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 02, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0264755
Entities
People
- John P. Vinti
Organizations
- National Institute of Standards and Technology