THE EARTH POTENTIAL PERTURBATION ON LOW EARTH SATELLITES ORBITS AT DIFFERENT INCLINATIONS

Abstract

It is helpful to illustrate the potential using changes in the orbit components, {semi major axis (a) eccentricity (e) inclination (i) , right ascension of ascending nodes (Ω )}, These components don't change when there are no disturbances. In this paper we analyze how the earth could disturb low-earth orbit satellites for both prograde and retrograde orbits. The program celestial mechanics was used to produce the results for the period one day, which corresponds to around 16 revolutions. The findings demonstrate that the inclination of the satellites affects how the earth's potential disturbance affects the orbital elements of low earth orbiting satellites, and that the effects of perturbations on prograde orbits are opposite to those caused on retrograde orbits.