Upper atmosphere density from the motion of the ANS satellite.
Abstract
The ANS satellite (the First Netherlands Astronomical Satellite, 1974 70 A) was launched on August 30, 1974, into a sun-synchronous orbit, whereby the orbital plane was perpendicular to the direction to the sun. It is noted that the orbital sun synchronization required a highly inclined retro-grade orbit, i = 98 deg. The satellite was a rectangular prism having two solar panels oriented with their planes perpendicular to the solar rays. This special orbit and orientation gave rise to peculiar perturbations; these have been analyzed, in particular with respect to the changes in the inclination (Wakker et al., 1981; Sehnal, 1981, 1982). In addition, the determination of the upper atmosphere densities was used in computing the satellite drag coefficient Sehnal, 1982). The data employed were those derived at the European Space Operation Center. The values obtained for the densities of the upper atmosphere are analyzed and compared with the values given in several recently proposed models.
- Publication:
-
Bulletin of the Astronomical Institutes of Czechoslovakia
- Pub Date:
- January 1983
- Bibcode:
- 1983BAICz..34...54S
- Keywords:
-
- Atmospheric Density;
- Orbit Perturbation;
- Satellite Tracking;
- Synchronous Satellites;
- Upper Atmosphere;
- Astronomical Netherlands Satellite;
- Atmospheric Models;
- Cosmos Satellites;
- Histograms;
- Geophysics;
- Artificial Satellites:Earth Atmosphere;
- Artificial Satellites:Orbital Evolution;
- Artificial Satellites:Perturbations;
- Density:Earth Atmosphere;
- Earth Atmosphere:Artificial Satellites;
- Earth Atmosphere:Density;
- Orbital Evolution:Artificial Satellites;
- Perturbations:Artificial Satellites