Geosynchronous Orbit Design and Analysis

Design and analysis of geosynchronous orbits

This submission consists of several MATLAB scripts that are useful for performing mission design and analysis for Earth satellites in geosynchronous orbits. Geosynchronous satellites are usually in equatorial or low-inclination orbits with an orbital period very close to the time required for the Earth to complete one inertial rotation. Here is a list of the MATLAB scripts included in this suite.

geosync1 equilibrium longitudes and radii of geosynchronous satellites

geosync2 initial osculating semimajor axis

geosync3 repositioning a geosynchronous satellite

geosync4 east-west station keeping of geosynchronous satellites

geosync5 north-south station keeping of geosynchronous satellites

The algorithms implemented in these MATLAB scripts are based on the numerical techniques described in the following two technical articles;

“East-west Stationkeeping Requirements of Nearly Synchronous Satellites Due to Earth’s Triaxiality and Luni-Solar Effects”, A. Kamel, D. Ekman and R. Tibbitts, Celestial Mechanics8 (1973) 129-148.

“On the Orbital Eccentricity Control of Synchronous Satellites”, A. Kamel and C. Wagner, The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. XXX, No. 1, pp. 61-73, January-March, 1982.