Apogee at constant time-of-day equatorial (ACE) orbit
US5326054A · kind A · utility
37Cited by
13References
16Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 21, 1988 |
| Grant date | Jul 5, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 21, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/1007
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A man-made satellite (1) traveling in an elliptical orbit. The orbit has five or six daily apogees, which are positioned above the same longitudes of the earth at substantially the same local time-of-day for each day of the year. The longitudes and times-of-day can be preselected subject only to the proviso that they be equispaced. The apsidal rotation rate in inertial space (ARRIS) of the orbit is substantially equal to the mean rate at which the earth revolves about the sun. The orbit is preferably equatorial, in order to simplify ground tracking and to maximize the impact of the apsidal rotation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.