Fundamentals of Astrodynamics

ae4874 – I

Instructor: Kevin Cowan


10 September 2019

ⓘ
credit: Wylie Overstreet & Alex Gorosh 1
The two-body problem
§5 – Two-body problem

5.1 — Conservation laws

5.2 — Shape of the orbit
5.3 — Conic sections
5.4 — Kepler’s laws

5.5 — From geocentrism to heliocentrism

5.6 — Velocity components

5.7 — Eccentricity vector

5.8 — Stability of Keplerian orbits

5.9 — Roche limit

5.10 — Relativistic effects

5.11 — Poynting-Robertson effect

See also: Curtis, §2.1–2.5

3
 The trajectory equation

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

h ~ angular momentum
µ ~ gravitational parameter (Gm1)

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

p ~ semi-latus rectum

a ae

m1 at focus

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

p ~ semi-latus rectum
a ~ semi-major axis
p

a ae

m1 at focus

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

p ~ semi-latus rectum
a ~ semi-major axis
e ~ eccentricity p

a ae

m1 at focus

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

p ~ semi-latus rectum
a ~ semi-major axis
e ~ eccentricity p
𝜈 ~ true anomaly
a ae

m1 at focus

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

p ~ semi-latus rectum
a ~ semi-major axis m2
e ~ eccentricity p
𝜈 ~ true anomaly
r ~ radius to m2 a ae

m1 at focus

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

p
rp ~ radius at

periapsis rp
a ae

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

p
rp ~ radius at

periapsis rp
a ae

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

ra rp
a ae
ra ~ radius at

apoapsis

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

ra rp
a ae
ra ~ radius at

apoapsis

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

a ae

ra rp
§5 2a 4
 The trajectory equation

a ae

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

a ae

4
§5
 The trajectory equation

a ae

4
§5
Elliptical orbits
§6 – Elliptical trajectories

6.1 — Geometry, energy, and angular momentum

6.2 — Circular orbit
6.3 — Velocity and orbital period
6.4 — Kepler’s third law
6.5 — Kepler’s equation (coming soon)

6.6 — Graphical and analytical solution of Kepler’s equation (coming soon)

6.7 — Lambert’s theorem (coming soon)

See also: Curtis, § 2.6-2.7, 3.1-3.4

6
 The trajectory equation - example

Sloshsat Ariane 5-ECA rocket

Launch
• A Dutch experimental micro-satellite
from Kourou
• Purpose: test the dynamics of fluid in orbit Launch date 12 February 2005

Mission duration 10 days

Mass 127 kg

SATCAT/NORAD 28544

NSSDC/COSPAR 2005-005C

source: NASA
§6 7
 Reference sources

• space-track.org
satellite data including: full (public) JSpOC database,
orbital parameters, TLE’s, decay data, collision risk,
filter/search functionality

• n2yo.com

satellite data including: orbital parameters, TLE’s,

ground tracks, satellite blurbs, observational data,
communication specifications, etc.

• stuffin.space

3D visualization with ‘live’ satellite data

§6 8
 Reference sources

• space-track.org ⓘ
satellite data including: full (public) JSpOC database, ⓘ
orbital parameters, TLE’s, decay data, collision risk,
filter/search functionality

• n2yo.com
ⓘ
satellite data including: orbital parameters, TLE’s,
ground tracks, satellite blurbs, observational data,
communication specifications, etc.

• stuffin.space
ⓘ
3D visualization with ‘live’ satellite data

§6 8
 The trajectory equation - example
Given: Sloshsat orbital data

µ⨁ 398,600 km3/s2

r⨁ 6,367 km

hp 284 km

ha 33,370 km

source: Wolfram Research

§6 9
 The trajectory equation - example
Given: Sloshsat orbital data

µ⨁ 398,600 km3/s2

r⨁ 6,367 km

hp 284 km

ha 33,370 km

Find: rp, ra, a, e

• Which other parameters can you determine?

source: Wolfram Research

§6 9
 The trajectory equation - example
Given: Sloshsat orbital data

µ⨁ 398,600 km3/s2

r⨁ 6,367 km

hp 284 km

ha 33,370 km

Find: rp, ra, a, e

• Which other parameters can you determine?

source: Wolfram Research

§6 9
 The trajectory equation - example
Given: Sloshsat orbital data

µ⨁ 398,600 km3/s2

r⨁ 6,367 km

hp 284 km

ha 33,370 km

Find: rp, ra, a, e

• Which other parameters can you determine?

source: Wolfram Research

§6 9
 The trajectory equation - example
Given: Sloshsat orbital data

µ⨁ 398,600 km3/s2

r⨁ 6,367 km

hp 284 km

ha 33,370 km

Find: rp, ra, a, e

• Which other parameters can you determine?

source: Wolfram Research

§6 9
 The trajectory equation - example
Given: Sloshsat orbital data

µ⨁ 398,600 km3/s2

r⨁ 6,367 km

hp 284 km

ha 33,370 km

Find: rp, ra, a, e

• Which other parameters can you determine?

source: Wolfram Research

§6 9
 Elliptical orbits - observations

§6.1 10
 Elliptical orbits - observations
r vs. θ for several e (a=7,500 km)

§6.1 10
 Elliptical orbits - observations
r vs. θ for several e (a=7,500 km)

• Higher eccentricities means higher

variations in r

§6.1 10
 Elliptical orbits - observations
r vs. θ for several e (a=7,500 km)

• Higher eccentricities means higher

variations in r
• Common engineering sense:

r < r⨁ is not feasible

§6.1 10
 Elliptical orbits - observations
r vs. θ for several e (a=7,500 km)

• Higher eccentricities means higher

variations in r
• Common engineering sense:

r < r⨁ is not feasible
• Don’t confuse r (radius) with h (height/
altitude)

§6.1 10
 Elliptical orbits - observations

• How would you make a plot


of v versus θ over an orbit?

§6.1 11
 Elliptical orbits - observations
v vs. θ for several e (a=7,500 km)

• How would you make a plot


of v versus θ over an orbit?

§6.1 11
 Velocity and the orbital period

§6.3 12
 Velocity and the orbital period

§6.3 13
 Velocity and the orbital period

§6.3 13
 Velocity and the orbital period

§6.3 14
 Velocity and the orbital period

§6.3 14
 Energy equation (a.k.a. “vis-viva” equation)

• specific kinetic energy

• specific potential energy

This slide deck will be updated; check Brightspace

for updates after 12 sep 2019.

§6 16