Cosmos 72 (1965-53B) was launched on 16 April 1965 into a near-circular orbit with an average height of 570 km and inclination 56 deg. Over the years, the orbit has contracted slowly under the influence of air drag, and on 27 June 1972 passed through exact 15th-order resonance. The orbit was determined at seven epochs between April 1972 and February 1973, using the RAE orbit refinement program PROP, with 544 optical and radar observations: the average orbital accuracy is about 50 m in height and 0.0008 deg in inclination. For Cosmos 72 the change in inclination at 15th-order resonance, due to perturbations by 15th-order harmonics in the geopotential, is greater than for any satellite previously analysed - nearly 0.07 deg - and analysis of the change, using the seven PROP orbits and 45 U.S. Navy orbits, yields equations accurate to 4% for the geopotential coefficients of order 15 and odd degree (15, 17, 19). A similar analysis of the variation in eccentricity gives less accurate equations for coefficients of order 15 and even degree (16, 18). The variations in right assension of the node and argument of perigee were also analysed. (Author)


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    Titel :

    Analysis of the Orbit of Cosmos 72 (1965-53B) Near 15TH-Order Resonance


    Beteiligte:

    Erscheinungsdatum :

    1974


    Format / Umfang :

    19 pages


    Medientyp :

    Report


    Format :

    Keine Angabe


    Sprache :

    Englisch