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ESPACE: Orbit Mechanics, Exercise 1 Keplerian Orbits in Space-Fixed, Earth-Fixed and Topocentric Systems

This document provides orbital element data for 5 satellites and assigns 11 computational exercises involving converting between Keplerian orbital elements, position and velocity vectors in different reference frames (space-fixed, Earth-fixed, topocentric), and plotting satellite trajectories, ground tracks, and visibility from a specified location on Earth. Students are asked to write MATLAB functions to perform the necessary coordinate transformations and calculations, plot the results, and submit a written report explaining their work by November 30, 2015.

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62 views

ESPACE: Orbit Mechanics, Exercise 1 Keplerian Orbits in Space-Fixed, Earth-Fixed and Topocentric Systems

This document provides orbital element data for 5 satellites and assigns 11 computational exercises involving converting between Keplerian orbital elements, position and velocity vectors in different reference frames (space-fixed, Earth-fixed, topocentric), and plotting satellite trajectories, ground tracks, and visibility from a specified location on Earth. Students are asked to write MATLAB functions to perform the necessary coordinate transformations and calculations, plot the results, and submit a written report explaining their work by November 30, 2015.

Uploaded by

Samuel gultom
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Institute for Astronomical and Physical Geodesy Winter Semester 2015/2016

Technische Universität München

ESPACE: Orbit Mechanics, Exercise 1


Keplerian Orbits in Space-fixed, Earth-fixed and Topocentric systems

Orbits of several satellites are given in an inertial, geocentric reference system (space-fixed) by
the Keplerian orbital elements: semi major axis a, eccentricity e, inclination i, right ascension of
the ascending node Ω, argument of the perigee ω, and perigee passing time T0 on Nov. 09, 2015.

Satellite a [km] e i [deg] Ω [deg] ω [deg] T0 [h]


GOCE 6629 0.004 96.6 210 144.2 02:00
GPS 26560 0.01 55 30 0 30 11:00
MOLNIYA 26554 0.7 63 200 270 07:30
GEO geostationary 0 0 0 50 00:00
MICHIBIKI geosynchronous 0.075 41 200 270 04:10

For the following computations precession, nutation, polar motion and variations in the length of
day are neglected. The Earth fixed reference system then rotates with an angular rate of ωEarth =
2π/86164s about the e3-axis of the inertial space-fixed reference system. At the time t0 = Nov. 09,
2015, 00:00 the sidereal angle is 03h 11m.

1) Create a MATLAB-function kep2orb.m that computes polar coordinates r (radius) and


ν (true anomaly) based on input orbital elements. Formulate your program in a way
that the time t can be used as input parameter.

2) Plot the orbit for the 5 satellites in the orbital plane for one orbital revolution.

3) Plot the mean anomaly M, the eccentric anomaly E, and the true anomaly ν as well as
the difference ν – M for one orbital revolution for the GPS satellite and the Molniya
satellite.

4) Create a MATLAB-function kep2cart.m that uses kep2orb.m, which transforms


Keplerian elements to position and velocity in an inertial (space-fixed) system.

5) Compute position and velocity vectors of the 5 satellites for a period of one day.
Assume true anomaly ν=0 for the beginning of the day. Visualize your results. Plot
the trajectory in 3D and 2D (projection to x-y, x-z and y-z planes) as well as a time
series of the magnitude of velocity.

6) Create a MATLAB-function cart2efix.m that transforms position and velocity in a


spacefixed system into position and velocity in an Earth-fixed system.

1
7) Plot the trajectory of the satellites in 3D for the first two orbital revolutions.

8) Calculate and draw the satellite ground-tracks on the Earth surface.

9) Create a MATLAB-function efix2topo.m that transforms position and velocity in an


Earthfixed system into position and velocity in a topocentric system centered at the
station Wettzell which position vector in an Earth-fixed system is given by: rW =
(4075.53022, 931.78130, 4801.61819)T km.

10) Plot the trajectory of the satellites as observed by Wettzell using the MATLAB-
function skyplot.m.

11) Calculate visibility (time intervals) for the satellites at the station Wettzell and
visualize them graphically.

Use the following values for your computations.


Geocentric gravitational constant GM = 398.6005·1012m3/s2
Earth‘s radius RE = 6371·103 m

Prepare a written report with a short description of the way how to perform the computations and
comment your results. Include the MATLAB-functions kep2orb.m, kep2cart.m, cart2efix.m and
efix2topo.m.

Due date for delivery of written report: 30. November 2015

Please send your written report (as .pdf) to:


Changli Chen ([email protected])
Urs Hugentobler ([email protected])

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