ECE 5233 Satellite Communications

Prepared by:
Dr. Ivica Kostanic
Lecture 2: Orbital Mechanics
(Section 2.1)

Spring 2014
Outline

Kepler’s laws of planetary / satellite motion

Equation of satellite orbits
Describing the orbit of a satellite
Locating the satellite in the orbit
Examples

Important note: Slides present summary of the results. Detailed derivations

are given in notes.

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Kepler’s laws of planetary motion
 Johannes Kepler published laws of planetary motion in solar system in early 17 th century
 Laws explained extensive astronomical planetary measurements performed by Tycho Brahe
 Kepler’s laws were proved by Newton’s theory of gravity in mid 18 th century
 Kepler’s laws approximate motion of satellites around Earth

 Kepler’s laws (as applicable to satellite motion)

1. The orbit of a satellite is an ellipse with the Earth at one of the two foci
2. A line joining a satellite and the Earth’s center sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time
3. The square of the orbital period of a satellite is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its
orbit.

p
1. r
1  e cos  
dr
2. r  const
dt

T2
3. 3
 const
a

Illustration of Kepler’s law Florida Institute of technologies Page 3

 Derivation of satellite orbit (1)
 Based on Newton’s theory of gravity and laws of motion
 Satellite moves in a plane that contains Earth’s origin
 Acting force is gravity
 Mass of Earth is much larger than the mass of a satellite

Gravitational force on the satellite

GM E mr
F 
r3
Newton’s 2nd law Constants

d 2r G  6.672 10 11 Nm2 /kg 2

F  ma  m 2
dt M E  5.98 10 24 kg
Combining the two   3.983 105 km 3 /s 2

d 2r r
2
 3  0
dt r
Satellite in Earth’s orbit Differential equation that determines the orbit
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 Derivation of satellite orbit (2)
Solution of the motion differential equation gives trajectory
in the form of an ellipse
e=0.9
p e=0.5
r0  e=0.2
1  e cos 0 e=0

e  eccentricity
h2
p

h  angular moment

 Coordinate system – rotated so that the satellite plane is the

same as (X0,Y0) plane p = 1;
e = 0.2
 Not all values for eccentricity give stable orbits fi = 0:0.01:2*pi;
r = p./(1+cos(fi));
 Eccentricity in interval (0,1) gives stable elliptical orbit
polar(fi,r)
 Eccentricity of 0 gives circular orbit
 Eccentricity = 1, parabolic orbit, the satellite escapes the
gravitational pull of the Earth
 Eccentricity > 1, hyperbolic orbit, the satellite escapes
gravitational pull of the Earth
Note: Detailed derivations of the satellite
trajectory are given in the notes
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Describing the orbit of a satellite (1)

 E and F are focal points of the ellipse

 Earth is one of the focal points (say E)
 a – major semi axis
 b – minor semi axis
 Perigee – point when the satellite is closest to
Earth
 Apogee – point when the satellite is furthest
from Earth
 The parameters of the orbit are related
 Five important results:
1. Relationship between a and p
2. Relationship between b and p
p 3. Relationship between eccentricity,
r0  Elliptic trajectory –
perigee and apogee distances
1  e cos 0 cylindrical coordinates
4. 2nd Kepler’s law
5. 3rd Kepler’s law
Basic relationship of
ES  FS  2a ellipse

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Describing the orbit of a satellite (2)
p
r0  2. Relationship between b and p
1  e cos 0
Consider point P:FP+EP=2a
Since FP=EP , EP=a
From triangle CEP

b  a  e a  1  e  p2 p2
2 2 2 2 2

1  e 
2 2 1  e2
p h2 / 
b  ; b  a 1  e2
1  e2 1  e2

1. Relationship between a and p 3. Relationship between eccentricity, perigee and apogee

distances
2a  r0  0  0   r0  0    EB 
p
 rp ; EA 
p
 ra
1 e 1 e
p p 2p
  
1  e 1  e 1  e2 ra  rp
e
p h /2
ra  rp
a 
1  e2 1  e2

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Describing the orbit of a satellite (3)

4. 2nd Kepler’s law The area swept by radius vector

1 1
dA  r0 ds sin   r0 , ds    r0 v dt sin   r0 , ds  
2 2
1 1 dr 1
r0  v dt  r0  0 dt  hdt
2 2 dt 2
dA 1
 h  const
dt 2

5. 3nd Kepler’s law

1 T 
2


4 2 a 2 a 2 1  e 2 4 2 a 3 
 4 2  3
p   2 a
2 2
dA  h dt h h h / p
2
Integrating both sides  4 2  3
T 
2
a
1
T
1   
ab   hdt  hT
20 2 T 2 ~ a3
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Locating the satellite in the orbit (1)

 Known: time at the perigee tp

 Determine: location of the satellite at arbitrary time t>tp

Definitions:

S – satellite
O – center of the Earth
C – center of the ellipse and corresponding circle

r0 - distance between satellite and center of the Earth

0 - “true anomaly”
E - “eccentric anomaly”

2  1/ 2
A circle is drawn so that it   3 / 2 - average angular velocity
encompasses the satellite’s T a
elliptical trajectory
M   t  t p  - mean anomaly

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Locating the satellite in the orbit (2)

Algorithm summary:

1. Calculate average angular velocity:    1/ 2 / a 3 / 2

2. Calculate mean anomaly: M   t  t p 

3. Solver for eccentric anomaly: M  E  e sin  E 

4. Find polar coordinates: r0  a1  e cos E  ; 0  cos 

 a 1  e 2  r0  1  

 er 0 
5. Find rectangular coordinates x0  r0 cos 0  ; y0  r0 sin  0 

Notes:
 Detailed derivations provided in the notes
 In 3, solution is determined numerically
 In 4, equation for true anomaly gives two values. One of them needs to be
eliminated
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Examples

Example 2.1.1. Geostationary orbit radius

Example 2.1.2 Low earth orbit
Example 2.1.3 Elliptical orbit
Example C1. Location of satellite in the orbit

Note: Examples are worked out in notes

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