Refined orbital architecture for targets of naval interest
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Authors
Konowicz, Andrew
Subjects
Space Operations
Prograde Inclination
Constellations
Coverage
Revisit
Daily Access
Commercial Satellites
Electro-optical
Prograde Inclination
Constellations
Coverage
Revisit
Daily Access
Commercial Satellites
Electro-optical
Advisors
Olsen, Richard C.
Scott, Alan D.
Date of Issue
2015-03
Date
March 2015
Publisher
Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The objective of this research is to address the feasibility of designing prograde orbits for commercial electro-optical satellites. This study explores prograde orbits (inclined less than 90°) populated by small, inexpensive but proven commercial satellites, like SkySat-1 of SkyBox Imaging Inc. The benefits of using prograde orbits are increased coverage duration and decreased revisit, or gap, times for point targets at most latitudes. Disadvantages include a reduction of high-latitude target coverage (sometimes completely), a more elaborate ground architecture, and the increased expense of populating a constellation of these satellites—to mitigate the laws of orbital mechanics—in order to achieve the desired benefits of prograde inclinations. This thesis considers orbital plane inclinations of 30°, 45°, and 60°; designs a few 24-satellite prograde constellations; and compares the performance of these newly formed constellations to the traditional sun synchronous orbit. As anticipated by the orbital mechanics, the results show that annual coverage can increase up to 6.5 times, average access increases up to 6.94 per day, and revisit time can be reduced to as low as 2.0 hours. In addition, the approximate annual life-cycle cost will likely fall beneath $0.5 billion.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Systems Academic Group
Systems Academic Group
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
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Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.