LOOK-ANGLE-PREDICTION TECHNIQUE FOR ARTIFICIAL EARTH SATELLITES.

Abstract

This report is concerned with the investigation of a method for obtaining look-angle predictions for artificial earth satellites relative to a given point on the earth. The input to the problem consists of the most-recently -determined elliptical orbital elements of the satellite, the spherical coordinates of a station on the earth, and a desired time of search. The results to be obtained for the satellite trajectory are azimuth, elevation, range, range rate (i.e., velocity), and the doppler frequency shift as a function of time. The problem has been programmed for use on digital electronic computers in both NELIAC and FORTRAN compiler languages and is available for use at both NRL and the David Taylor Model Basin in the Washington, D. C., area. As part of the checking out procedure, a comparison of the results was made with data obtained at the Radio Research Establishment (RRE) in Malvern, England. It was concluded that the major portion of those discrepancies that exist between the NRL and the RRE data is due to differences in the models used. Examples of both NELIAC and FORTRAN input, an example of the FORTRAN output, and the FORTRAN source program for this problem are included in the appendices. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 30, 1965
Accession Number
AD0627344

Entities

People

  • H. G. Devezin Jr.
  • J. A. Buisson Iii

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Compilers
  • Computers
  • Elevation
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Shift
  • Language
  • Model Basins
  • Orbital Elements
  • Orbits
  • Ship Model Basins
  • Trajectories

Readers

  • Computer Science.
  • Finite Element Method (FEM) for solving Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)
  • Geodesy

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris