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BASIC ORBIT MECHANICS

1-2
Example Mission Requirements: Spatial and Temporal Scales
of Hydrologic Processes
1.E-02
1.E-01
1.E+00
1.E+01
1.E+02
1.E+03
1.E+04
1.E+05
1.E-02 1.E-01 1.E+00 1.E+01 1.E+02 1.E+03 1.E+04 1.E+05 1.E+06 1.E+07
Length Scale (meters)
T
i
m
e

S
c
a
l
e

(
h
o
u
r
s
)
Infiltration
Percolation
Evapotranspiration
Lateral
Redistribution
Runoff
Precipitation
Intensity
Streamflow
Day
Week
Month
Year
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BASIC ORBITS
Circular Orbits
Used most often for earth orbiting remote sensing satellites
Nadir trace resembles a sinusoid on planet surface for general case
Geosynchronous orbit has a period equal to the siderial day
Geostationary orbits are equatorial geosynchronous orbits
Sun synchronous orbits provide constant node-to-sun angle
Elliptical Orbits:
Used most often for planetary remote sensing
Can also be used to increase observation time of certain region on
Earth
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CIRCULAR ORBITS
Circular orbits balance inward gravitational force and outward
centrifugal force:
The rate of change of the nodal longitude is approximated by:
F
g
= mg
s
R
r
|
\
|
.
2
F
c
=
mv
2
r
F
g
= F
c
v =
g
s
R
2
r
T =
2tr
v
= 2tr
r
g
s
R
2
dO
dt
=
3
2
J
2
R
3
g
s
cos I
r
7 2
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Orbital Velocities
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Orbit Altitude in km
L
i
n
e
a
r

V
e
l
o
c
i
t
y

i
n

k
m
/
s
e
c
Earth
Moon
Mars
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Orbital Periods
50
100
150
200
250
300
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Orbit Altitude in km
O
r
b
i
t
a
l

P
e
r
i
o
d

i
n

M
i
n
u
t
e
s
Earth
Moon
Mars
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ORBIT INCLINATION
I
EQUATORIAL
PLANE
ORBITAL
PLANE
EARTH
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ORBITAL NODE LONGITUDE
O
EARTH
VERNAL
EQUINOX
ORBITAL
PLANE
SUN
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SATELLITE ORBIT PRECESSION
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CIRCULAR GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBIT TRACE
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ORBIT COVERAGE
The orbit step S is the longitudinal difference between two
consecutive equatorial crossings
If S is such that
then the orbit is repetitive.
S = 360
N
L
; N, L integers
S
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PERIODIC COVERAGE PATTERNS FOR SUN-SYNCHRONOUS
ORBITS
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Example: 223 orbits in 16 days
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Example: 225 orbits in 16 days
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Example: 227 orbits in 16 days
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Example: 233 orbits in 16 days (LandSat)
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Example: 241 orbits in 16 days
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Example: SRTM Orbit
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QuikSCAT Orbit: 14 Orbits per day
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QUIKSCAT Swaths
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ELLIPTICAL ORBITS
The orbit is defined by:
r =
a 1 e
2
( )
1 + e cosu
T = 2tr
a
3
g
s
R
2
2a
2b = 2a 1e
2
r
u
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ELLIPTICAL GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBIT TRACE
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ELLIPTICAL ORBIT GROUND TRACE
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ORBIT SELECTION
Minimize Earth atmospheric drag --> h > 200 km
Global coverage --> polar or near-polar orbit
Constant illumination geometry --> sun-synchronous orbit
Thermal inertia observations --> day and night pass over same area
Minimize radar sensor power --> low altitude
Minimize gravity anomalies perturbation --> high altitude
Measure gravity anomalies --> low altitude
Continuous monitoring --> geostationary or geosynchronous orbit