>Concerning the physics on acceleration due to drag I checked the >excellent >book 'Fundamentals of Astrodynamics and Applications' from David A. >Vallado >(1997). > >He gives a formula for the acceleration which depends from: >- coefficient of drag (c_D), a dimensionless value which reflects the >satellites susceptibility to drag forces (known from aerodynamics) >- cross-sectional area (A), the area which is normal to the sattelites >velocity vector >- mass (m) >- atmospheric density (rho) >- velocity relative to the atmosphere (v_rel) > >Problems to calculate accurate accelarations due to drag is that most >reentering objects are tumbeling with the result, that A is >continuously >changing. Furthermore it is difficult to estimate accurate atmospheric >denisity in the upper atmosphere due to the limited knowledge of the >interactions of the solar wind and Earth's magnetic fields. This is >also (in >my oppinion) the main reason, why predictions on decaying objects are >cursed >with larger errors. > >I would like to avoid further mathematics and physics, otherwise i am >going >off topic on this list. Hello, Are such formulas like the above on the web somewhere? Also, can anyone refer me to some reference where I can make satellite predictions with nothing more than paper, a pencil, and a TLE data set (no computer being used)? ================================================================ Jonathan T. Wojack tlj18@juno.com Stay up-to-date on all events in space! Visit http://www.geocities.com/tlj18_99/ Updated at least once per day! ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe' in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org http://www2.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue May 16 2000 - 20:30:11 PDT