The Astronomical Journal · 1966 · 20 citations · 0 references
Natural SciencesAerospace EngineeringGeophysicsAstrodynamicsCelestial MechanicsOrbital MechanicsOrbit DeterminationOrbital DynamicsOrbital PerturbationsPerturbation MethodsSatellite Orbit DynamicsSatellite OrbitsNumerical Orbit IntegrationOrbit Perturbation TheoryOrbital Perturbation TheoryPerturbation Analysis Of Satellite OrbitsPerturbation ModelingSatellite Dynamics
The classical Encke method for integrating the equations of motion of a near-earth satellite is modified so that the difference between the nominal and true orbits does not contain the first-order effects of the earth's oblateness. The nominal trajectory is well defined for all inclinations and all bounded orbits. Nu- merical tests of the new method indicated that drag-free orbits can be integrated for at least 100 revolutions before the length of the difference vector exceeds 65 km.