Coordinate Transformations ASEN 3200 2/22/04 George H.

Born

In engineering it is often necessary to express vectors in different coordinate frames. This requires the rotation matrix, which relates coordinates and basis (unit) vectors in one frame to those in another frame. Consider for example two frames with a common origin but separated by a positive rotation* about their common Z-axis through the positive angle .

Z z

A
X

Figure 1 - Definitions of the A and B frames and a positive rotation, , about the Z-axis

We wish to express a vector given in the A frame coordinates in terms of B frame coordinates, i.e.,

[ r] B = [ T ] B [ r ] A .
A

(1)

A simple way to do this is to express the unit vectors of the B frame in terms of those in the A frame. Since we are rotating about the Z-axis let's look at a view down the Z-axis toward the origin:

k K,
*

rule, i.e., place the thumb of the right hand in the positive a positive rotation means that it obeys the right hand direction of the rotation axis and the fingers will indicate the positive direction of rotation.

In order to do this we first write the projection of the and vectors (or X and Y coordinates of a vector) on the and vectors (or x and y axes). Note, for example, that the projection of on is obtained by drawing a line from perpendicular to . Hence, + sin J = cos I i + cos J j = sin I =K . k In matrix form: cos i j = sin k 0 sin cos 0 0 I 0 J . 1 K

(2)

(3)

To transform a vector we replace the unit vectors with the coordinates of that vector, i.e., the frame as K frame, r = XI + YJ + ZK , transforms to the coordinates of a vector in the I, J, i, j, k x cos y = sin z 0 sin cos 0

0 X 0 Y . 1 Z

(4)

Similarly a transformation involving a positive rotation through the angle about the Yaxis would be as follows (from a view down the Y-axis):

, J j

sin K = cos I i j=J = sin I + cos K k or cos i j = 0 k sin 0 sin I . 1 0 J 0 cos K

(5)

Finally, a rotation about the X-axis through the positive angle is given by (draw in the projections for yourself)

K
,

1 i 0 j = 0 cos k 0 sin

0 I sin J . cos K

(6)

If we wish to transform from the B frame to the A frame we could simply write (using Eq. 3)

 I cos J = sin 0 K

sin cos 0

0 0 1

i j . k

(7)

But transformation matrices are orthogonal so that their inverse is equal to their transpose; hence, cos I = sin J 0 K sin cos 0 0 0 1
1

i j . k

(8)

If the transformation from one frame to another requires several rotations, the final rotation matrix is the product of the individual rotation (transformation) matrices. Examples W K to P, Q, Transformation from I, J, K to the PQW frame with The transformation from the ECI frame with unit vectors I, J, W Q, is described below. Note that P is in the orbit plane in the direction of unit vectors P, is (in the orbit plane) perpendicular to P lie and in the direction of motion and W perigee, Q and W would be in the along the angular momentum vector. If this were a retrograde orbit Q opposite direction to that depicted here.

K
i

orbit

P
i

line of nodes

 W K frame to P, Q, involves three rotations: The transformation from the I, J, axis through the RAAN () to align the X-axis of this 1. A rotation about the K intermediate frame (which we will call B ) with the line of nodes. 2. A rotation about the B frame X-axis through the inclination, i, to place the X and Y axis of this intermediate frame (called C ) in the orbit plane. Note that the Zaxis of the C frame is along the angular momentum vector and will require no further transformation. vector, 3. Finally a rotation about the C frame Z-axis to align its X-axis with the P vector. and Y-axis with the Q Hence, the transformation equation given by

[ r ] PQW = [ T ] PQW [T ]C [T ]B [ r ] A
C B A

= [ T ] PQW [r]A
A

(9)

where [ T ] B is a rotation about Z through . From Eq. (3)

A

[T]B

cos sin 0 = sin cos 0 . 0 1 0

(10)

The second rotation is about the X-axis through i and is given by Eq. (6)

[T ]C

0 0 1 = 0 cos i sin i . 0 sin i cos i

(11)

Finally we have another rotation about the Z-axis through the argument of perigee, , and from Eq. (3)

[T]

C PQW

cos = sin 0

sin cos 0

0 0 . 1

(12)

Multiplying these three matrices in the order given by Eq. (9) yields the final result which is the transpose of the matrix given by Eq. (2.6-14) in Bate, et. al. You should carry out this multiplication for yourself.

 E, Z to K Transformation from S, I, J, E, Z frame to the K (ECI) frame is The transformation from the topocentric S, I, J, developed next. K

Z R S E

s/c

E, Z has its origin at a tracking station and S directed south, E directed east and Z The S, is perpendicular to a tangent to the oblate earth directed up along the local vertical. Note that Z and the equatorial plane is at the location of the tracking station. Hence, the angle between Z axis is not the local geodetic latitude, . Also, because of the oblateness of the earth the Z parallel with the station position vector, R . Because in all mathematical operational vectors may E, Z frame to the origin of the be treated as free vectors we may move the origin of the S, K frame in the center of the Earth. This will aid our visualization of the necessary I, J, transformations.
K

A
S

We wish to determine

[ ] A = [ T ] A [ ] SEZ
SEZ

(13)

where + E + Z . [ ] SEZ = S S E Z (14)

E, Z frame to the K frame involves two rotations: The transformation from the S, I, J, 1. The first rotation is about the E (or Y) axis through the angle 360 - (90 - ) = 270 + (remember we must rotate in the positive direction). This aligns the Z K frame and will be called the D frame. axis of the axis with the K I, J, axis through the angle 2. The second rotation is a positive rotation about the new Z and E (X and Y) axis of the A axis with the 360 - = - to align the S I and J or ECI frame. Here theta is the angle between the X-axis and the meridian of the tracking station and is called the Greenwich sidereal time (Bate, et al.). Hence, the transformation equation is given by

[ ] A = [ T ] A [ T ] D [ ] SEZ
D SEZ

(15)

where [ T ] D

SEZ

is a rotation about Y through the angle 270 + and is given by Eq. (5) cos ( 270 + ) 0 sin ( 270 + ) = 0 1 0 sin ( 270 + ) 0 cos ( 270 + ) sin 0 cos = 1 0 0 . cos 0 sin

[T]D

SEZ

(16)

The second rotation is about the Z-axis through the angle -, and is given by Eq. (3) cos ( ) sin ( ) = sin ( ) cos ( ) 0 0 cos sin 0 = sin cos 0 . 0 1 0 0 0 1

[T] A

(17)

The final result, [ T ] A [ T ] D

D

SEZ

is given by sin cos = sin sin cos sin cos 0 cos cos cos sin sin

[ T ] SEZ
A

(18)

which agrees with Eq. (2.6-12) of Bate, et al.

Reference: Bate, R., D. Mueller and J. White, Fundamentals of Astrodynamics, Dover, 1971.