On Mean Elements for Satellite Orbits Perturbed by the Zonal Harmonics of the Geopotential

Abstract

Users of orbital elements are often puzzled by the different ways in which mean elements are defined. This applies to all the standard elements, but the difficulty is most pronounced in regard to semi-major axis and mean motion. This paper relates mean elements to the perturbations of a satellite caused by the Earth's zonal harmonic J2, and shows how elements can be defined so that perturbations in spherical coordinates take an especially simple form. The paper concentrates on the first-order effects of J2, with formulae given to connect the preferred elements to the elements of Kozai, but it also considers the extension to second order in J2 and first order in the general zonal harmonic. Keywords: Astrodynamics; Celestial mechanics; Orbits; Satellite perturbation; Orbital elements; Geopotential; Zonal harmonics; Gravitational effects; Great Britain.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1989
Accession Number
ADA212322

Entities

People

  • Robert H. Gooding

Organizations

  • Royal Aircraft Establishment

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Celestial Mechanics
  • Circular Orbits
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Equations
  • Geopotential
  • Geosynchronous Orbits
  • Grids
  • Harmonics
  • Orbital Elements
  • Orbits
  • Perturbations
  • Satellite Orbits
  • Spacecraft
  • Standards

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris