Orbit Description of

Satellite Positioning Systems

 Outline
I. Description of Satellite Orbits
II. Satellite Broadcast Data
III. Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
IV.Orbital Coordinate System, Conventional
inertial reference system and ECEF
V. Keplerian Elements
VI.Computation of ECEF Coordinates
 Satellite orbits
There are several reasons why you want to study
the orbits of satellites:
Sample Design: You want to match an orbit with
the type of study you want to conduct.
Predict Orbit: You want to know where a satellite
will be at any particular time.
Orbital Accuracy: You want to know what will
influence the orbit of a satellite for instruments such
as altimeters.
Impress your friends!
Satellite orbits / What for?
 Satellite Broadcast Data
Satellites broadcast two types of data:
Almanac and Ephemeris
Almanac data is course orbital parameters
for all SVs
Ephemeris data by comparison is very
precise orbital and clock correction for each
SV and is necessary for precise positioning
 Almanac
Each SV broadcasts
Almanac data for ALL
SVs
This Almanac data is not
very precise and is
considered valid for up to
several months

 http://gpsworld.com/the-almanac/
 Ephemeris
Each SV broadcasts ONLY its OWN
Ephemeris data
This data is only considered valid for
about 30 minutes
The Ephemeris data is broadcast by
each SV every 30 seconds
 Ephemeris
In astronomy and celestial navigation,
an ephemeris gives the positions of
naturally occurring astronomical objects as
well as artificial satellites in the sky at a
given time or times
astronomical position calculated from an
ephemeris is given in the spherical polar
coordinate system of right
ascension and declination
 GPS Broadcast Ephemeris
 For GPS positioning, the GPS receiver needs information
on the satellite positions at the point in time where the
satellite signals were transmitted from the satellites.
 This information is called broadcast ephemeris and is
transmitted from the satellites with the navigation message.
 The broadcast ephemeris are composed of the following
variables (Misra and Enge, 2001):
 Kepler’s Laws
German astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
discovered that planets moved in elliptical orbits
rather than circular orbits
 Kepler’s Laws
All positioning of satellites today is based on
the laws of Johannes Kepler
Kepler developed a number of theorems and
laws describing the motion of the planets in
their orbits around the sun
These laws do, in general, also describe the
motion of a satellite orbiting around the earth
 Kepler’s Laws
Kepler’s 1st Law
The orbit of each planet is an ellipse with the sun in
one of the foci.

Effect on satellites:
The orbit of a satellite is an ellipse with the
gravitational centre of the earth in one of the foci.
 Kepler’s Laws
Kepler’s 2nd Law
 The planets revolve with constant area velocity, e.g. the
radius vector of the planet sweeps out equal areas in equal
lengths of time, independent of the location of the planet in
the orbit.

Effect on satellites:
 Satellites revolve with a constant area velocity within the
orbit.
 The speed of the satellite is not constant, but varies with the
location of the satellite in the orbit, so the speed is higher
when the satellite is close to the earth.
Kepler’s Laws
 Kepler’s Laws
Kepler’s 3rd Law
 The relation between the square of the period, T, and the
cube of the semi major axis, a, is constant for all planets:

Effect on satellites:
 Same as with satellites
The value of the constant given in the above equation was
determined several years later by Isaac Newton (1624 -
1727) based on his work on gravity.
 Keplerian Orbit
A real orbit (and its elements) changes over
time due to gravitational perturbations by
other objects and the effects of relativity.
A Keplerian orbit is merely a mathematical
approximation at a particular time.
 Keplerian Orbit
In celestial mechanics,
a Kepler orbit
(or Keplerian orbit)
describes the motion of an
orbiting body as
an ellipse, parabola,
or hyperbola, which forms a
two-dimensional orbital
plane in three-dimensional
space.
 Orbital Coordinates System
In order to describe the motion of a satellite within
its orbit, we define an orbital coordinate system,
called q
 Satellite Orbit Frame
 Orbital Coordinates System
In order to described the location of the satellite
within the orbital coordinate system we need to
define a number of parameters for the orbital
ellipse
Orbital Coordinates System
Orbital Coordinates System
 Conventional Inertial Reference
System (CIS)
Defined with origin coinciding with the center of
mass of the earth
Z axis is defined to be coinciding with the
rotational axis of earth’s rotation
X axis is located in the equatorial plane towards
the vernal equinox
Y axis is located in the equatorial plane to
complete a right handed cartesian coordinate
system
Earth-centered inertial (ECI)
 Conventional Inertial Reference
System (CIS)
right ascension of the ascending node (Ω)
Inclination (i)
argument of perigee (ω)
 Earth Centered, Earth Fixed (ECEF)
Coordinate System
Is a Cartesian coordinate system, sometimes
known as a "conventional terrestrial" system
ECEF rotates with the earth and therefore,
coordinates of a point fixed on the surface of
the earth do not change
also called ECR ("Earth Centered
Rotational")
 Keplerian Elements
An orbit is generally defined by six
elements (known as Keplerian
elements) that can be computed from
position and velocity
The future location of an object within
its orbit can be predicted and its new
position and velocity can be easily
obtained from the orbital elements
 Keplerian Elements
There are 8 elements that you need to define an orbit
(http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/education/class/paul/orbits.html). These
elements are also called Keplerian Elements:
1. Epoch Time
2. Orbital Inclination
3. Right Ascension of Ascending Node
4. Eccentricity
5. Argument of Perigee
6. Mean Motion
7. Mean Anomaly
8. Drag (optional)
 Epoch Time
The first thing you need to define an orbit is
the time at which the Keplerian Elements
were defined.
Get a snapshot of where and how fast the
satellite was going.
 Mean Motion (Δn or n)
 The mean motion tells you how fast the satellite is going.
According to Kepler's Law:

 As the satellite gets closer to the Earth, its velocity

increases. If we know how fast the satellite is going, we also
know the altitude of the satellite.
 Orbital Inclination (i)
Tells you the angle between the equator and the
orbit when looking from the center of the Earth.
If the orbit went exactly around the equator from
left to right, then the inclination would be 0. The
inclination ranges from 0 to 180 degrees.
Right Ascension of Ascending Node (Ω)
The ascending node is the place where the satellite
crosses the equator while going from the Southern
Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere.

Since the Earth rotates, we specify a fixed object in

space  Aries (vernal equinox)
Right Ascension of Ascending Node (Ω)
The angle, from the center of the Earth, between
Aries and the ascending node is called the right
ascension of ascending node.

Also called the “longitude of the ascending node”

 Eccentricity (e)
Tells how flat the orbit is.
If the orbit is a perfect
circle, then the
eccentricity is 0. When
the eccentricity is close
to 1, then the orbit is very
flat.
 Argument of Perigee (ω)

Since an orbit usually has an elliptical shape, the

satellite will be closer to the Earth at one point than
at another.
PERIGEE - The point where the satellite is the
closest to the Earth
APOGEE - The point where the satellite is the
furthest from the Earth
Argument of Perigee (ω)

The argument of
perigee is the angle
formed between the
perigee and the
ascending node. If the
perigee would occur
at the ascending
node, the argument of
perigee would be 0.
 Mean Anomaly (v)
Tells you where exactly the satellite is in its orbital
path.
Ranges from 0 to 360 degrees.
The mean anomaly is referenced to the perigee. If
the satellite were at the perigee, the mean anomaly
would be 0.
 Keplerian elements
1) a = Semi-major axis
= size
2) e = Eccentricity =
shape
3) i = inclination = tilt
4) ω = argument of
perigee = twist
5) Ω = longitude of the
ascending node = pin
6) v = mean anomaly
= angle now
 Computation of ECEF

http://home-
2.worldonline.nl/samsvl/satpos
.htm
 References
 GNSS Satellite Orbits, Lecture notes for 30550 by Anna
B.O. Jensen (aboj@space.dtu.dk), Rev. August 28, 2010
 Satellite Orbits, Lecture by E. Calais, Purdue University -
EAS Department (ecalais@purdue.edu)
 Wikipedia.org
 http://www.navipedia.net/index.php/Satellite_Coordinates_C
omputation
 Fundamentals of Global Positioning System Receivers,
2000. James Bao-Yen Tsui