AbstractThe European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA) is a platform to be launched, deployed and retrieved in low Earth orbit by the Space Shuttle.A newly developed analytical orbit prediction method is described which meets the severe requirements for EURECA's orbit propagation. It is based on an averaging procedure including the Earth's zonal harmonics J2, J3 and J4 and a refined treatment of the air drag perturbation where EURECA's large solar panels are taken into account. Some orbit prediction results are included.In order to offer more flexibility for the Shuttle retrieval of EURECA, it is proposed to execute a part of the rendezvous manoeuvres by EURECA. A corresponding strategy is described.
Orbit prediction and shuttle rendezvous strategy for eureca
Acta Astronautica ; 10 , 10 ; 673-685
1983-02-22
13 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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