STEP 2: SELECTING PROPAGATION TIME


 
Element Symbol Value
Epoch to 05:54:21.171 UTC December 16, 2007
Inclination i 51o.9970
R.A. of the Ascending Node aW0 251o.0219
Eccentricity e 0.0001492
Argument of Perigee w0 33o.8641
Mean Anomaly at Epoch Mo 326o.2322
Mean Motion n 12.62256095 orbits / solar day

In order to predict the future position of a satellite, you must first indicate the time that you wish to observe it.

Let's set this time to 00:19:51.670 UTC December 18, 2007, which corresponds to a routine CASTOR image taken of the GlobalStar M047 satellite:

t = 00:19:51.670 UTC December 18, 2007

The propagation time (Dt) is the time elapsed from the Epoch time (to) to our chosen time (t). In other words, Dt is the difference between the two times (t - t0):

Propagation Time = Dt = t - t0

Dt = 1.7677141 solar days

BACK TO STEP #1

PROCEED TO STEP #3


CASTOR HOME

 SITE MAP

ORBIT PROPAGATION
 

Step 2: Selecting Propagation Time Was Last Modified On January 03, 2012