Current plans for systems to be used for ballistic missile defense sometimes call for using satellites that are placed so as to form a constellation that can continuously monitor specified areas of the Earth's surface or direct weapons against attacking missiles and warheads. This study analyzes the relative motion between satellites within such a constellation under gravitational perturbations caused by the Earth's equatorial bulge (oblateness). Relative motion is calculated using a system of equations which describes the variation of relative orbital elements between two satellites. The cases studied simulate the position of two satellites that are located within a constellation containing ten orbits with ten satellites in each orbit. The orbits investigated were all circular with altitudes ranging from 300 km to 1000 km and inclinations ranging from 40 degrees to 80 degrees. Range between the satellites was oscillatory with deviations from the average range of up to 5 km. The results vary only slightly with changes in orbital inclination or altitude. These results show that the relative motion between satellites in a low altitude constellations caused by the Earth's oblateness does not significantly affect the initial geometry of the constellation.
Analysis of Geopotential Effects on Satellite Constellations
1986
58 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Missile Tracking Systems , Antimissile Defense Systems , Circular orbits , Geopotential , Inclined orbit trajectories , Artificial satellites , Antimissile defense systems , Bulging , Constellations , Earth(Planet) , Equations , Equatorial regions , Trajectories , Low altitude , Motion , Orbits , Position(Location) , Satellite networks , Spacecraft , Surfaces , Theses , Warheads , Gravity , Perturbations , Relative motion , Oblateness , Spacecraft trajectories , Satellite constellations