Question

A satellite has these orbital elements: -- semi-major axis = 10,900 km -- eccentricity = 0.1 -- inclination = 60 degrees -- right ascension of the ascending node= 175 degrees -- argument of perigee = 90 degrees -- true anomaly  = 90 degrees a. Is this a direct or retrograde orbit? b. Where is the satellite located in its orbit? c. Is perigee in the northern or southern hemisphere? d. Is this a circular, elliptical, parabolic, or hyperbolic orbit? Show your work.

Answer 1

a) It is direct(prograde) orbit as inclination angle < 90^o for direct orbit 0<i<90^o

b)The radius to the satellite is r = a(1-e(cosE)) where a-semi major axis, e-eccentrcity, E-true anomaly

c) If the argument of perigee is less than 180°, perigee is in the northern hemisphere, larger than 180°, it is in the southern hemisphere. As in this case argument of perigee is 90^o, so perigee is in northern hemisphere.

d)This is an elleptical orbit, as the eccentricity 0<e<1