Increasing the Accuracy of Orbital Elements for a Satellite in a Low Earth Orbit under the Influence of Atmospheric Drag Using Adams-Bashforth Method

Abstract

The perturbed equation of motion can be solved by using many numerical methods. Most of these solutions were inaccurate; the fourth order Adams-Bashforth method is a good numerical integration method, which was used in this research to study the variation of orbital elements under atmospheric drag influence.  A satellite in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO), with altitude form perigee = 200 km, was selected during 1300 revolutions (84.23 days) and A_Sat / M_Sat value of 5.1 m²/ 900 kg. The equations of converting state vectors into orbital elements were applied. Also, various orbital elements were evaluated and analyzed. The results showed that, for the semi-major axis, eccentricity and inclination have a secular falling discrepancy, Longitude of Ascending Node is periodic, Argument of Perigee has a secular increasing variation, while true anomaly grows linearly from 0 to 360°. Furthermore, all orbital elements, excluding Longitude of Ascending Node, Argument of Perigee, and true anomaly, were more affected by drag than other orbital elements, through their falling as the time passes. The results illustrate a high correlation as compared with literature reviews in this field.