Analysis of the orbit of 1966-63A near the 15th-order resonance.

Data from U.S. Navy and the RAE orbit refinement program PROP are employed to calculate orbits of the 1966-63A (OV1-8) satellite which circled the earth from 1966-1978. Initial orbit predictions for the OV1-8 spacecraft, particularly for 15th and higher orbit harmonics were found to be unsatisfactory. Weekly orbit determinations from each of 32 epochs were investigated using the standard deviation of 0.003 deg for inclinations. An analysis performed with the THROE program, which removed perturbations caused by atmospheric rotation and lunisolar precession of the earth's axis, in addition to a later accounting for solar radiation pressure, was determined to be 1% more accurate than previous calculations. Account was taken for eccentricity due to zonal harmonics and atmospheric drag. Resonance was determined to have little effect on eccentricity, and lumped values were found which yielded improved results for the 15th order harmonics.