Polar observation propulsion requirementsOrbit perturbations and their effect on polar earth-orbiting space-surveillance spacecraft propulsion requirements for hydrazine, nitrogen tetroxide/monomethyl hydrazine, resistojet, and arcjet propulsion systems are investigated. Estimates of the Delta V and propellant mass required to correct for perturbations for both low-altitude and Molniya spacecraft orbits are presented, and 400-36,000 km orbit altitudes, and 57-90 deg orbit inclinations, are considered. The dominant factors in perturbations to the orbit of low-altitude earth orbiters, resulting from the earth's nonsphericity, are the second zonal harmonic describing the earth's oblateness, and the perturbations due to the earth's north-south mass asymmetry.
Document ID
19870035185
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Palaszewski, Bryan (California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, United States)
Uphoff, Chauncey (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)