Elevation Properties of a Quasi-Zenith Satellite System Using Circular Orbits

Kazuhiro KIMURA

Elevation Properties of a Quasi-Zenith Satellite System Using Circular Orbits

Kazuhiro KIMURA

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This paper discusses the orbital motion and elevation properties of a quasi-zenith satellite system using circular orbits. The satellites are deployed on inclined geosynchronous orbits with identical sub-satellite loci on earth. The satellites trace the locus at even intervals. This satellite system can provide mobile satellite communications and navigation services at very high elevations to middle-latitude regions. In general, the orbital parameters of the satellite system are determined by numerical simulation to maximize the minimum elevation angle in areas where satellite services are to be provided. However, an understanding of the properties of the orbit and consequent elevation properties are important for efficient constellation design. This paper formulates the orbital motion of inclined geosynchronous circular orbits, including the relative motion to the rotating earth. Although elliptical orbit constellations are also possible and can gain higher elevation, only circular orbits, which can be accurately formulated without using an analytically unsolvable Kepler's equation, are discussed in this paper. Elevation properties are evaluated using the geocentric angle between the sub-satellite point and an arbitrary point in the intended service area. This angle is a typical parameter that can be derived as a single-valued function of the elevation at a specific point. Optimum orbital parameters for an intended service area can be easily estimated without numerical simulation using the results of the evaluation described in this paper. These results can also be used to infer whether a circular-orbit constellation is applicable to an intended service area.

Publication: IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications Vol.E87-B No.8 pp.2142-2151

Publication Date: 2004/08/01

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Type of Manuscript: Special Section PAPER (Special Section on Recent Fundamental Technologies for Broadband Satellite Communications)

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Kazuhiro KIMURA, "Elevation Properties of a Quasi-Zenith Satellite System Using Circular Orbits" in IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications, vol. E87-B, no. 8, pp. 2142-2151, August 2004, doi: .
Abstract: This paper discusses the orbital motion and elevation properties of a quasi-zenith satellite system using circular orbits. The satellites are deployed on inclined geosynchronous orbits with identical sub-satellite loci on earth. The satellites trace the locus at even intervals. This satellite system can provide mobile satellite communications and navigation services at very high elevations to middle-latitude regions. In general, the orbital parameters of the satellite system are determined by numerical simulation to maximize the minimum elevation angle in areas where satellite services are to be provided. However, an understanding of the properties of the orbit and consequent elevation properties are important for efficient constellation design. This paper formulates the orbital motion of inclined geosynchronous circular orbits, including the relative motion to the rotating earth. Although elliptical orbit constellations are also possible and can gain higher elevation, only circular orbits, which can be accurately formulated without using an analytically unsolvable Kepler's equation, are discussed in this paper. Elevation properties are evaluated using the geocentric angle between the sub-satellite point and an arbitrary point in the intended service area. This angle is a typical parameter that can be derived as a single-valued function of the elevation at a specific point. Optimum orbital parameters for an intended service area can be easily estimated without numerical simulation using the results of the evaluation described in this paper. These results can also be used to infer whether a circular-orbit constellation is applicable to an intended service area.
URL: https://globals.ieice.org/en_transactions/communications/10.1587/e87-b_8_2142/_p

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@ARTICLE{e87-b_8_2142,
author={Kazuhiro KIMURA, },
journal={IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications},
title={Elevation Properties of a Quasi-Zenith Satellite System Using Circular Orbits},
year={2004},
volume={E87-B},
number={8},
pages={2142-2151},
abstract={This paper discusses the orbital motion and elevation properties of a quasi-zenith satellite system using circular orbits. The satellites are deployed on inclined geosynchronous orbits with identical sub-satellite loci on earth. The satellites trace the locus at even intervals. This satellite system can provide mobile satellite communications and navigation services at very high elevations to middle-latitude regions. In general, the orbital parameters of the satellite system are determined by numerical simulation to maximize the minimum elevation angle in areas where satellite services are to be provided. However, an understanding of the properties of the orbit and consequent elevation properties are important for efficient constellation design. This paper formulates the orbital motion of inclined geosynchronous circular orbits, including the relative motion to the rotating earth. Although elliptical orbit constellations are also possible and can gain higher elevation, only circular orbits, which can be accurately formulated without using an analytically unsolvable Kepler's equation, are discussed in this paper. Elevation properties are evaluated using the geocentric angle between the sub-satellite point and an arbitrary point in the intended service area. This angle is a typical parameter that can be derived as a single-valued function of the elevation at a specific point. Optimum orbital parameters for an intended service area can be easily estimated without numerical simulation using the results of the evaluation described in this paper. These results can also be used to infer whether a circular-orbit constellation is applicable to an intended service area.},
keywords={},
doi={},
ISSN={},
month={August},}

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TY - JOUR
TI - Elevation Properties of a Quasi-Zenith Satellite System Using Circular Orbits
T2 - IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications
SP - 2142
EP - 2151
AU - Kazuhiro KIMURA
PY - 2004
DO -
JO - IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications
SN -
VL - E87-B
IS - 8
JA - IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications
Y1 - August 2004
AB - This paper discusses the orbital motion and elevation properties of a quasi-zenith satellite system using circular orbits. The satellites are deployed on inclined geosynchronous orbits with identical sub-satellite loci on earth. The satellites trace the locus at even intervals. This satellite system can provide mobile satellite communications and navigation services at very high elevations to middle-latitude regions. In general, the orbital parameters of the satellite system are determined by numerical simulation to maximize the minimum elevation angle in areas where satellite services are to be provided. However, an understanding of the properties of the orbit and consequent elevation properties are important for efficient constellation design. This paper formulates the orbital motion of inclined geosynchronous circular orbits, including the relative motion to the rotating earth. Although elliptical orbit constellations are also possible and can gain higher elevation, only circular orbits, which can be accurately formulated without using an analytically unsolvable Kepler's equation, are discussed in this paper. Elevation properties are evaluated using the geocentric angle between the sub-satellite point and an arbitrary point in the intended service area. This angle is a typical parameter that can be derived as a single-valued function of the elevation at a specific point. Optimum orbital parameters for an intended service area can be easily estimated without numerical simulation using the results of the evaluation described in this paper. These results can also be used to infer whether a circular-orbit constellation is applicable to an intended service area.
ER -