elsets for NOAA 16

From: Michael McCants (mmccants@jump.net)
Date: Tue Jun 25 2002 - 16:16:04 PDT

  • Next message: Ted Molczan: "RE: RE: A method of estimating pre-launch elements"

    Sebastian Stabroth posted:
    
    >the perturbation of the Sun's gravity is very small compared to other
    >"anomalies" for this orbit type. The Moon's gravity would have about the same
    >small disturbing effect or even more.
    
    But since the orbits are "sun-synchronous", the solar perturbations
    to the inclination add up over time.  The lunar perturbations tend
    to average out.
    
    October 2000:
    1 26536U 00055A   00285.26312341  .00000648  00000-0  38534-3 0   321
    2 26536  98.7917 229.5955 0009775 217.5542 142.5023 14.10912717  2794
    
    August, 2001:
    1 26536U 00055A   01227.70893451  .00000164  00000-0  11479-3 0  4521
    2 26536  98.8298 172.4404 0011756  67.6276 292.6049 14.11209801 46294
    
    June, 2002:
    1 26536U 00055A   02170.92783292  .00000001  00000-0  24961-4 0  8710
    2 26536  98.8702 116.5014 0009649 276.2171  83.7901 14.11702891 89773
    
    The change in inclination from 98.79 to 98.87 degrees is due to
    solar perturbations.
    
    >The NOAA satellites have thrusters to compensate for altitude loss and perhaps
    >other small perturbing forces.
    
    There is no indication of any attempt to change the orbit of NOAA 16
    at any time over the last 20 months to compensate for its decrease in
    altitude due to atmospheric drag.  The change in mean motion from 14.109
    just after launch to 14.117 at present seems reasonably close to linear
    considering the rather high (and varying) solar activity over this time span.
    
    Mike McCants
    
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