View in EDS

Orbital mechanics with the Global Positioning System.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Orbital mechanics with the Global Positioning System.
Authors: Baird, William H., Patton, Kelly R.
Source: American Journal of Physics; Jun2024, Vol. 92 Issue 6, p407-413, 7p
Subject Terms: ORBITAL mechanics, GLOBAL Positioning System, KEPLER'S laws, SOLAR radiation, ORBITS of artificial satellites, ARTIFICIAL satellite tracking, ORBIT determination, RADIATION pressure
Abstract: The recent availability of relatively inexpensive dual-frequency receivers for signals from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) provides access to ultra-precise, real-time data such as positions and velocities of dozens of satellites orbiting the Earth. We discuss how these data can be obtained, processed, and analyzed either with or without the actual purchase of a GNSS receiver. The positional information can be used to verify Kepler's three laws at lowest order as well as to reveal the presence of higher-order perturbations such as the oblateness of the Earth and the gravitational influences of the Sun and Moon on these satellites. The supplementary material includes both introductory laboratory exercises and Python scripts used to gather and process data suitable for intermediate courses. Global Navigation Satellite Systems, such as GPS, have locations that must be known very precisely and that are publicly available. For that reason, they provide an ideal dataset for studying orbits, both at an introductory level and for more advanced projects such as observing the effects of Earth's equatorial bulge, the Moon's gravitational attraction, or solar radiation pressure. The authors provide Python scripts that will process the satellite data into formats that can be used by students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of American Journal of Physics is the property of American Institute of Physics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Complementary Index
Description
Abstract:The recent availability of relatively inexpensive dual-frequency receivers for signals from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) provides access to ultra-precise, real-time data such as positions and velocities of dozens of satellites orbiting the Earth. We discuss how these data can be obtained, processed, and analyzed either with or without the actual purchase of a GNSS receiver. The positional information can be used to verify Kepler's three laws at lowest order as well as to reveal the presence of higher-order perturbations such as the oblateness of the Earth and the gravitational influences of the Sun and Moon on these satellites. The supplementary material includes both introductory laboratory exercises and Python scripts used to gather and process data suitable for intermediate courses. Global Navigation Satellite Systems, such as GPS, have locations that must be known very precisely and that are publicly available. For that reason, they provide an ideal dataset for studying orbits, both at an introductory level and for more advanced projects such as observing the effects of Earth's equatorial bulge, the Moon's gravitational attraction, or solar radiation pressure. The authors provide Python scripts that will process the satellite data into formats that can be used by students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:00029505
DOI:10.1119/5.0146547