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Selecting orbits for Earth observations

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Abstract

Selecting orbits for a satellite to observe the Earth is a very important task in aerospace engineering. There are several constraints to be followed, like regions of the Earth to be observed, interval between observations, the necessity or not of having sunlight to make the observations, etc. In this study, we search for orbits that can be used to collect data from platforms located around the Earth and send them to particular ground stations. Since we are considering that these missions will be performed in the extra life of old satellites, it is necessary to add the constraint of having sunlight during the communications, because the old batteries will no longer be able to keep charge. So, we need to find the best orbits for a mission of this type, such that we can consider this possibility as one more parameter to design the orbits of satellites to be launched, and/or to choose the most adequate satellites that are already in space to accomplish this task. To carry out this study, we considered different latitudes for the platforms and ground stations. The satellites are assumed to be in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with different inclinations.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express their appreciation for the support provided by: grant 304741/2020-5, 309089/2021-2, 400077/2022-1 and 301058/2022-9 from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq); grants IBPG-1083\(-\)3.03/20 from the Foundation for the Support of Science and Technology of Pernambuco (FACEPE); the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) and from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). This publication has been supported by the RUDN University Scientific Projects Grant System, project No 202235-2-000. The authors are grateful for the financial support of the Brazilian Agencies FACEPE, CAPES, FINEP, and CNPq. NB Lima also thank L’Oréal-UNESCO-ABC “For Women in Science”. NBL, and TFAS thank CNPq for the scientific productivity scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics of Materials, Polytechnic School, University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 50720-001, Brazil

    L. B. T. Santos

  2. Division of Graduate School, National Institute for Space Research, INPE, São Paulo, Brazil

    A. F. B. A. Prado

  3. Academy of Engineering, RUDN University, Miklukho-Maklaya street 6, Moscow, 117198, Russia

    A. F. B. A. Prado

  4. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, 50740-540, Brazil

    T. F. A. Santos

  5. Brazilian Northeast Aerospace Network, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil

    T. F. A. Santos

  6. Department of Physics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, 50740-540, Brazil

    N. B. Lima

  7. Brazilian Institute for Material Joining and Coating Technologies (INTM), Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, 50740-540, Brazil

    N. B. Lima & N. B. D. Lima

  8. Department of Fundamental Chemistry, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, 50740-560, Brazil

    N. B. D. Lima

Authors
  1. L. B. T. Santos
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  2. A. F. B. A. Prado
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  3. T. F. A. Santos
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  4. N. B. Lima
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  5. N. B. D. Lima
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. B. T. Santos.

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Santos, L.B.T., Prado, A.F.B.A., Santos, T.F.A. et al. Selecting orbits for Earth observations. Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. 232, 3037–3047 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-023-01030-0

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