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AS5040_Assignment 4_Orbital Mechanics_2025

The document outlines an assignment on orbital mechanics, including calculations for satellite orbits, perigee and apogee altitudes, and Hohmann transfer schemes. It involves determining the operational range of spacecraft based on sensor limitations and adjusting orbits for mission-specific requirements. Additionally, it discusses coordination between two satellites in elliptical orbits and designing a transfer scheme for optimal positioning.

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SEDANI SAGAR
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2 views2 pages

AS5040_Assignment 4_Orbital Mechanics_2025

The document outlines an assignment on orbital mechanics, including calculations for satellite orbits, perigee and apogee altitudes, and Hohmann transfer schemes. It involves determining the operational range of spacecraft based on sensor limitations and adjusting orbits for mission-specific requirements. Additionally, it discusses coordination between two satellites in elliptical orbits and designing a transfer scheme for optimal positioning.

Uploaded by

SEDANI SAGAR
Copyright
© © 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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FLIGHT MECHANICS – AS 5040

ASSIGNMENT - 4 : Orbital Mechanics


Date : April 30, 2025
1) A satellite is injected to a geocentric orbit at 9 km/s at 4° angle to the local horizon at an altitude
of 300 km.
a. Find the altitudes of perigee and apogee.
b. Consider that the earth’s residual atmospheric drag effect is assumed to exist significantly
up to an altitude of 150 km. Justify whether the satellite has a sustained orbital revolution
surrounding the earth.
c. Consider that at the time of injection of the satellite to its orbit the radial distance was
increasing. Find the angular location of the apogee with respect to the orbital injection
point of the satellite.
d. In order to correct the satellite’s orbit to a circular LEO of altitude 300 km, a Hohmann
transfer has to be planned.
i. Design a fuel-optimal Hohmann transfer scheme. What is the total ∆𝑣𝑣 (= |∆𝑣𝑣1 | +
|∆𝑣𝑣2 |) requirement for this Hohmann transfer?
ii. Draw a schematic diagram showing the three geo-centric orbits – the initial orbit,
transfer orbit, and the final LEO orbit. Also, compute and mark the values of the
lengths of their major axes / radius in the diagram.

2) Altitudes (𝑙𝑙) and true anomalies (𝜃𝜃) of a spacecraft at two points on a geocentric (earth-centric)
orbit were given as,
𝑙𝑙1 = 1545 km, 𝜃𝜃1 = 126°
𝑙𝑙2 = 852 km, 𝜃𝜃1 = 58°

a) Find the altitudes of perigee and apogee, and the orbital time-period for this orbit.

b) Due to limitation on maximum value of the on-board sensor range 𝑅𝑅𝑠𝑠 , operational range of
the spacecraft was limited to ±90° from the perigee on this orbit. (Hint: maximum value of
𝑅𝑅𝑠𝑠 is the length of the semi-latus rectum.) Compute the time for which the spacecraft was in
its operational region during an orbital revolution.

c) Suppose that for a mission-specific requirement, the altitude of the apogee was needed to be
increased by 200 km, while keeping the perigee altitude same as earlier. What was the ∆𝑣𝑣
required for the orbital maneuver (single impulse) to the new specified orbit?

d) Note that due to this change in orbit the angular operational region of the spacecraft has
changed. What is the operational range of the spacecraft from the perigee of the new orbit?
(Hint: Recall that the operational range is limited by the maximum value of the on-board
sensor range 𝑅𝑅𝑠𝑠 )
3) Consider two heterogeneous satellites (S1 and S2) are orbiting on an elliptical geo-centric orbit in
such a way that S1 is 𝜙𝜙 phase angle ahead of S2. However, for a better co-ordination S2 satellite
should be 𝜙𝜙 phase angle ahead of S1 satellite. Design a suitable Hohmann transfer scheme to
achieve the desired relative location of S1 and S2 on the orbit.

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