Analytical and Semi-Analytical Treatment of the Satellite Motion in a Resisting Medium

Abstract

The orbital dynamics of an artificial satellite in the Earth's atmosphere is considered. An analytic first-order atmospheric drag theory is developed using Lagrange's planetary equations. The short periodic perturbations due to the geopotential of all orbital elements are evaluated. And to construct a second-order analytical theory, the equations of motion become very complicated to be integrated analytically; thus we are forced to integrate them numerically using the method of Runge-Kutta of fourth order. The validity of the theory is checked on the already decayed Indian satellite ROHINI where its data are available.