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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2014

Satellite Drag

This presentation describes orbital drag effects on satellite orbits, selected satellite drag impacts, thermosphere effects, tracking errors, and observations of specific storm results.

thermosphere effects↗
NASA NTRS1979

Satellite drag coefficients calculated from measured distributions of reflected helium atoms

The primary objectives of this study were to obtain the necessary data and develop a calculation procedure that would facilitate predicting the atmospheric-helium contribution to the drag of a satellite having a predominantly convex exterior. Molecular-beam techniques were used to measure, for several incidence angles, the spatial and energy distributions of 7000 m/s helium atoms scattered from a 6061-T6 aluminum plate and an anodized 1235-0 aluminum surface. From these measured distributions, tangential and normal momentum accommodation coefficients were calculated as functions of incidence angle. Using these calculated accommodation coefficients, one can predict drag coefficients for satellites having predominantly convex exteriors. For spherical satellites, drag coefficients of 2.64 and 2.62 were predicted for the subject surfaces.

Liu, S.-M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

A supplemental catalog of atmospheric densities from satellite-drag analysis

The catalog of densities derived from satellite-drag analysis extends and supplements similar earlier publications. The densities were computed from nine artificial satellites for effective heights ranging from 300 to 1130 km, and are presented together with pertinent data that permit the location in time and space of the point to which they refer. The intervals covered vary between 1 and 6 years for the different satellites and average about 3.5 years for the nine satellites. The cutoff date for the data included is, in most cases, January 14, 1970.

Jacchia, L. G.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Analysis of Satellite Drag and Spin Decay Data

Work was begun as an effort to obtain satellite drag and upper atmospheric wind data from a spinning spherical satellite to be launched from the space shuttle scheduled for the STS-11 flight. The satellite was an inflated sphere having high area-to-mass ratio which would result in measurable orbital decay due to aerodynamic drag forces experienced by the satellite in the Earth's upper atmosphere. The satellite would also experience a spin decay due to the aerodynamic torque acting to slow the satellite spinning. The original proposal was to develop data analysis procedures to be employed to extract the desired information. Work was performed concerning the data analysis procedure prior to the STS-11 launch; however, the major effort was to begin after the data had been obtained. Unfortunately, the launch of the inflatable sphere on STS-11 was a failure in that the sphere did not inflate properly and no data was obtained. The emphasis of the work planned under this effort was then changed to develop a proposal for a series of experiments similar to the one originally planned for STS-11.

Karr, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1974

In flight ground control of high drag satellites utilizing on-board accelerometer data and rapid orbit prediction techniques

High drag satellites frequently require precise verification of orbital maneuvers and the accurate prediction of perigee height. An in-flight ground support system designed to monitor and compute orbital state and maneuvers is described. The use of on-board three-axis accelerometer data in a flight support software system to perform on-line maneuver analysis and atmospheric model updating is discussed. In addition, automated analytic techniques to rapidly and accurately predict perigee height following a maneuver are described, as well as semianalytic averaging techniques designed to predict a decaying orbital state for mission control.

Fuchs, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

On the determination of the harmonic components of the diurnal variation of the thermosphere from satellite drag data

The accuracy of the diurnal and semidiurnal harmonics of density variation determined from satellite drag data is discussed and compared with data from the Jacchia empirical atmospheric model. The phase discrepancies between densities and temperatures, which are more pronounced in summer, and the extrema of the density data are described. The ratio of the semidiurnal to diurnal component of kinetic temperature, determined from Salah and Evans incoherent scatter radar observations, also indicates a seasonal variation. The radar data are compared with the Jacchia model, and a third harmonic is discussed.

Blum, P. W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

A study of the diurnal variation in the thermosphere as derived by satellite drag.

Results of an analysis performed on 29,574 densities derived from the drag of ten satellites to determine the amplitude and shape of the diurnal-variation curve for the thermosphere. Although a considerable amount of smoothing is inherent in the drag method, it seemed useful to determine whether any change in the shape of the diurnal-variation curve with height, latitude, and solar activity could be detected. None was detected: the curve remains remarkably stable, symmetric, with a maximum at 1420 hr LST and a minimum at 0220 hr LST. A systematic variation of the temperature range with height is observed when static models are used to derive it.

Jacchia, L. G.↗
NASA NTRS1973

A study of the diurnal variation in the thermosphere as derived by satellite drag

An analysis was performed on 29,574 densities derived from the drag of 10 satellites to determine simultaneously the parameters of the solar-activity effect in the thermosphere on the one hand, and the amplitude and shape of the diurnal-variation curve on the other. This paper reports on the study of the diurnal variation only. Although a considerable amount of smoothing is inherent in the drag method, it seemed useful to see whether any change could be detected in the shape of the diurnal-variation curve with height, latitude and solar activity. None was detected; the curve remains remarkably stable, symmetric, with a maximum at 14 hr 20 min L.S.T. and a minimum at 2 hr 20 min L.S.T. A systematic variation of the temperature range with height is observed when static models are used to derive it.

Jacchia, L. G.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Variations in thermospheric composition: A model based on mass-spectrometer and satellite-drag data

The seasonal-latitudinal and the diurnal variations of composition observed by mass spectrometers on the OGO 6 satellite are represented by two simple empirical formulae, each of which uses only one numerical parameter. The formulae are of a very general nature and predict the behavior of these variations at all heights and for all levels of solar activity; they yield a satisfactory representation of the corresponding variations in total density as derived from satellite drag. It is suggested that a seasonal variation of hydrogen might explain the abnormally low hydrogen densities at high northern latitudes in July 1964.

Jacchia, L. G.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Variations in thermospheric composition - A model based on mass spectrometer and satellite drag data

The seasonal-latitudinal and the diurnal variations of composition observed by mass spectrometers on the Ogo 6 satellite are represented by two simple empirical formulas. The formulas are of a very general nature and predict the behavior of these variations at all heights and for all levels of solar activity; they yield a satisfactory representation of the corresponding variations in total density, as derived from satellite drag. It is suggested that a seasonal variation of hydrogen may explain the abnormally low hydrogen densities at high northern latitudes in July 1964.

Jacchia, L. G.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Correlations between solar activity and operationally determined satellite drag variation parameters

Operational orbit determination of the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) and the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) spacecraft using the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS) in the Flight Dynamics Facility (FDF) of the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has yielded an orbit solution data base of 3 years for ERBS and 8 years for SMM. One of the parameters in each data base is the drag variation parameter used in the GTDS atmospheric drag model; this parameter is solved routinely to accommodate the different atmospheric densities as they are encountered solution to solution. These two data bases of the drag variation parameter solutions are analyzed to evaluate correlations in the variations of the parameter with changes in the 10.7-cm wavelength solar flux, F10.7, and the geomagnetic index. The data for SMM span a wider range of solar flux values and show a stronger correlation. The data for ERBS, which is at a higher altitude and inclination than SMM, show a significant degree of scatter. For both satellites, the data indicate that changes in the drag variation parameter are more strongly correlated with the F10.7 solar flux than with the geomagnetic index. Correlations with the geomagnetic index are apparent only for severe geomagnetic storm conditions. Results from this analysis enhance the understanding of the drag model and the accommodation density variations in operational orbit determination support.

Smith, E. A.↗