Kerbin geosynchronous orbit software#

For that matter, the EarthвЂ™s gravity isnвЂ™t uniform, either, so the satellite needs an onboard fuel supply to make slight corrections over time. ItвЂ™s also important to remember that even geostationary satellites drift over time as they are tugged on by the moon and sunвЂ™s gravity. This is an ideal orbit for communications satellites, since ground-based antennas can remain pointed at the same spot in the sky. The вЂњstationaryвЂќ part of geostationary describes how a satellite in this orbit remains fixed with respect to an observer on the ground.

A geosynchronous satellite with a non-zero inclination will trace out a figure eight in the sky as it dips above and below the equator. Think of it like this: the вЂњsynchronousвЂќ part of geosynchronous describes the rate of the satelliteвЂ™s orbit but says nothing about its inclination-the orbitвЂ™s angle with respect to the equator. Not all geosynchronous satellites are geostationary. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they are not the same thing:ДЄ Geosynchonous Orbit (GEO) takes a satellite around the Earth at a rate of once per day, keeping it roughly in the same area over the ground.ДЄ Geostationary Orbit (GSO) is a geosynchronous orbit with an inclination of zero, meaning, it lies on the equator.ДЄll geostationary satellites are geosynchronous. The first concept I want to tackle is the difference between a geosynchronous and geostationary orbit.

Kerbin geosynchronous orbit software#

The software has been used on numerous NASA missions, including WMAP, LRO, LCROSS, New Horizons, Messenger, LADEE and MAVEN. The AstrogatorвЂ™s Guild uses a software package called STK/Astrogator from Analytical Graphics Inc.В that is used to help spacecraft mission managers plan the trajectories of a variety of space missions. WhatвЂ™s a transfer orbit? Is there a difference between geostationary and geosynchronous? Why is there such a wide range between the perigee and apogee?ДЇor help explaining all of this, I turned to Mike Loucks of The AstrogatorвЂ™s Guild. The satellite was placed into a geostationary transfer orbit with a perigee of about 180 kilometers, an apogee of about 36,000 kilometers and an inclination of 19.3 degrees.Д«ut unless youвЂ™re familiar with basic orbital mechanics, that sentence doesnвЂ™t have much meaning. 5, IndiaвЂ™s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle pulled off a similar feat with the GSAT-14 communications satellite.ДЄs I wrote about the GSLV-D5 mission, I was tempted to include this standard informational line, punched directly out of the press kit: In December, SpaceXвЂ™s upgraded Falcon 9 rocket placed the SES-8 communications satellite into geostationary transfer orbit, and on Jan.

IвЂ™ve been writing a lot about geostationary satellites lately.