Eee 545:satellite Communications: Satellite Motion and Speed

EEE 545:SATELLITE
COMMUNICATIONS
Satellite motion and speed

Satellites travel around Earth in
almost circular path

An object moving in a circular path is
accelerating because it is constantly
changing direction
The Earths gravity is the centripetal
force for the satellite and keeps
pulling the satellite towards the Earth
Satellites have a greater horizontal
velocity than an object thrown on
Earth which prevents them from
falling to the earth

An object thrown on earth has horizontal force moving it
forward. Gravity is a force acting to pull it to the ground.
The more force you give the object the faster it travels
horizontally and the greater distance it travels before
hitting the Earth
A satellites in orbit around the Earth is continuously falling

towards the Earth, but because the Earth is curved and
it(satellite) travels so fast , it doesnt hit but travel around
the Earth

If you drop a stone, it will fall in a straight-line path to the ground
below. If you move your hand, the stone will land farther away.
If the curvature of the path matched the curvature of Earth and the
stone is tossed at the right speed, it would follow a circular orbit

How fast would the stone have to be thrown horizontally for
it to orbit Earth?
A stone dropped from rest accelerates 10 m/s2 and falls a vertical
distance of 5 meters during the first second.

In the first 1 second, a projectile will fall 5 meters below the
straight-line path it would have taken without gravity.

In the curvature of Earth, the surface drops a vertical
distance of nearly 5 meters for every 8000 meters tangent

to its surface.
The orbital speed for an orbit about the Earth is 8 km/s.

This translates to 28,800 km/h (18,000 mi/h).
At that speed, atmospheric friction would burn an object to a crisp.
Therefore, an earth satellite must stay 150Km or more above Earths
surface to prevent it from burning due to the friction.
Satellite motion in relation to type of orbit

Circular orbit;
A satellite in circular orbit around
Earth is always moving
perpendicular to gravity and
parallel to Earths surface at
constant speed.
The speed of the satellite is not
changed by gravitational force
Circular Orbits
In circular orbit, the speed of a satellite is not changed by gravity.
Compare a satellite in circular orbit to a bowling ball rolling along a
bowling alley;
Gravity acting on the bowling ball does not change its speed.
Gravity pulls downward, perpendicular to the balls motion.
The ball has no component of gravitational force along the direction of the
alley.
The speeds of the bowling ball and the satellite

are not affected by the force of gravity because
there is no horizontal component of gravitational
force.
Circular Orbits
The satellite is always moving at a right angle
(perpendicular) to the force of gravity.

It doesnt move in the direction of gravity, which would increase
its speed.
It doesnt move in a direction against gravity, which would
decrease its speed.
No change in speed occursonly a change in direction.
For a satellite close to Earth, the time for a complete orbit
around Earth (period), is about 90 minutes.

For higher altitudes, the orbital speed is less and the
period is longer.
Circular Orbits
Communications satellites are located in orbit 6.5 Earth radii from
Earths center, so that their period is 24 hours.

This period matches Earths daily rotation. They orbit in the plane of
Earths equator and they are always above the same place.
The moon is farther away, and has a 27.3-day period.
A satellite in circular orbit close to

Earth moves tangentially at 8 km/s.
During each second, it falls 5 m
beneath each successive 8-km
tangent.
Elliptical Orbits
A satellite in orbit around Earth traces an oval-shaped
path called an ellipse.

An ellipse is the closed path taken by a point that moves
in such a way that the sum of its distances from two fixed
points is constant.
The two fixed points in an ellipse are called foci.
For a satellite orbiting a planet, the center of the planet is
at one focus and the other focus could be inside or
outside the planet.
Elliptical Orbits
Satellite speed varies in an elliptical orbit.
When the initial speed is more than 8 km/s, the satellite
overshoots a circular path and moves away from Earth.
It loses speed due to the pull of gravity.
The satellite slows to a point where it no longer recedes, and
begins falling back toward Earth.
The speed lost in receding is regained as it falls back.
The satellite then rejoins its path with the same speed it
had initially.
The procedure repeats over and over, and an ellipse is
traced each cycle.
Elliptical Orbits
A satellite moves in an elliptical orbit.

a.
b.
c.
When the satellite exceeds 8 km/s, it overshoots a circle.

At its maximum separation, it starts to come back toward Earth.
The cycle repeats itself.
Elliptical Orbits
Satellite speeds
Consider the orbit of a satellite as shown
in the sketch;
The satellite has its greatest speed as it
whips around A. It has its least speed
at C. Beyond C, it gains speed as it
falls back to A to repeat its cycle.
Perigee; Point where the satellite is closest to the planet and has
the greatest speed
Apogee: Point where the satellite is furthest from the planet and
has the least speed
Energy Conservation and Satellite Motion

Moving objects have kinetic energy (KE).
An object above Earths surface has potential energy (PE)
due to its position.

Everywhere in its orbit, a satellite has both KE and PE.
The sum of the KE and PE of a satellite is constant at all
points along an orbit.
Conservation of energy: KE +
PE = KE + PE

In a circular orbit, the distance
between a planets center and the

satellites center is constant.
The PE of the satellite is the
same everywhere in orbit. For a
satellite in circular orbit, no force
acts along the direction of motion.
The speed, and thus the KE,
cannot change.
By the law of conservation of
energy, the KE is also constant,
so the speed is constant in any
circular orbit.

In an elliptical orbit, both speed and distance vary.
The apogee is the point in a satellites orbit farthest from the center
of Earth.
The perigee is the point in a satellites orbit closest to the center of
Earth.
The sum of KE and PE for a satellite is a constant at all
points along an elliptical orbit.
Conservation of energy: KE +
PE = KE + PE

The PE is greatest when the
satellite is at the apogee and

least when the satellite is at
the perigee.
The KE will be least when
the PE is most; and the KE
will be most when the PE is
least.
At every point in the orbit,
the sum of the KE and PE is
constant.
Keplers Laws of Planetary Motion

Keplers First Law
The path of each planet around the sun is an ellipse with the
sun at one focus.

Keplers Second Law
Kepler found that the planets do not
go around the sun at a uniform
speed but move faster when they
are nearer the sun and more slowly
when they are farther from the sun.
An imaginary line or spoke joining
the sun and the planet sweeps out
equal areas of space in equal
times.

Keplers Third Law
The square of any planets period (T) is directly
proportional to the cube of its average orbital radius (r).
This means that the ratio
is the same for all planets.
If a planets period is known, its average orbital radial
distance is easily calculated.
Keplers laws apply not only to planets but also to
moons or any satellite in orbit around any body.
Satellite Escape speed

When a payload is put into Earth-
orbit by a rocket, the speed and

direction of the rocket are very
important.
If the rocket were launched
vertically and quickly achieved a
speed of 8 km/s, it would soon
come crashing back at 8 km/s.
To achieve orbit, the payload
must be launched horizontally at
8 km/s once above air resistance.

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EEE 545:SATELLITE

Satellite motion and speed

almost circular path

Satellite motion and speed

A satellites in orbit around the Earth is continuously falling

Satellite motion and speed

stone is tossed at the right speed, it would follow a circular orbit

Satellite motion and speed

distance of 5 meters during the first second.

Satellite motion and speed

distance of nearly 5 meters for every 8000 meters tangent

The orbital speed for an orbit about the Earth is 8 km/s.

Satellite motion in relation to type of orbit

The speeds of the bowling ball and the satellite

(perpendicular) to the force of gravity.

For a satellite close to Earth, the time for a complete orbit

around Earth (period), is about 90 minutes.

Earths center, so that their period is 24 hours.

A satellite in circular orbit close to

path called an ellipse.

A satellite moves in an elliptical orbit.

When the satellite exceeds 8 km/s, it overshoots a circle.

Energy Conservation and Satellite Motion

due to its position.

Energy Conservation and Satellite Motion

between a planets center and the

Energy Conservation and Satellite Motion

points along an elliptical orbit.

Energy Conservation and Satellite Motion

satellite is at the apogee and

Keplers Laws of Planetary Motion

Keplers Laws of Planetary Motion

Keplers Laws of Planetary Motion

Satellite Escape speed

orbit by a rocket, the speed and

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