What are ground tracks?

COE Determination

a e i   ? ? ? ? ? ? COE Determination

Non-rotating Earth

Rotating Earth

COE Determination Semimajor axis Δ longitude ΔNΔN P = ΔN 15º / hr

a e i    ? ? ? ? COE Determination ?

Eccentricity Circle

COE Determination Eccentricity

COE Determination Eccentricity Line Symmetry Ellipse

COE Determination Eccentricity Line Symmetry Ellipse

COE Determination Eccentricity Line Symmetry Ellipse

COE Determination Eccentricity Line Symmetry Ellipse

COE Determination Eccentricity Line Symmetry Ellipse

COE Determination Eccentricity Line Symmetry Ellipse

COE Determination Eccentricity Line Symmetry Ellipse

COE Determination Eccentricity

COE Determination Eccentricity Hinge Symmetry Ellipse

COE Determination Hinge Symmetry Eccentricity Ellipse

COE Determination Hinge Symmetry Eccentricity Ellipse

COE Determination Hinge Symmetry Eccentricity Ellipse

COE Determination Hinge Symmetry Eccentricity Ellipse

COE Determination Eccentricity Hinge Symmetry Ellipse

COE Determination Eccentricity

COE Determination Eccentricity Line & Hinge Circle

COE Determination Eccentricity Neither Ellipse

COE Determination Eccentricity

a e i    ? ? ? ? COE Determination  ~

Inclination i = highest latitude

COE Determination Inclination i = 180º - highest latitude

COE Determination Inclination i = highest latitude

COE Determination Inclination i = 180º - highest latitude

a e i    ? ? ? COE Determination   ~

a e i     ? ? COE Determination   ~

Argument of Perigee

COE Determination 360º per orbit 90º 180º 270º 360º Ascending Node Argument of Perigee

Perigee  = 180  Perigee  = 270  Perigee  = 90  Perigee  = 0  Hinge Symmetric Line Symmetric

COE Determination Argument of Perigee ω = 180º

COE Determination Argument of Perigee ω = 90º

COE Determination Argument of Perigee ω = 0º

COE Determination Argument of Perigee ω = 270º

COE Determination Argument of Perigee Hinge Symmetry ω = 0º or 180º

COE Determination Argument of Perigee Line Symmetry ω = 90º or 270º

a e i      ? COE Determination   ~ ~

True Anomaly

COE Determination True Anomaly

COE Determination True Anomaly

Orbit Examples

Molniya

Geostationary

Geosynchronous

e = 0.8  = 180  e = 0.8  = 0  e = 0.0

Geosynchronous e = 0 i = 0  e = 0.4  = 180  e = 0.6  = 90 