Gps Satellite Orbital Velocity

Types of satellites ephemerides used to calculate satellites coordinate.

Gps satellite orbital velocity.

The gps satellites are not in a geostationary orbit but rise and set two times per day. In addition the constellation has 3 backup satellites. Each satellite in the gps constellation orbits at an altitude of about 20 000 km from the ground and has an orbital speed of about 14 000 km hour the orbital period is roughly 12 hours contrary to popular belief gps satellites are not in geosynchronous or geostationary orbits. Without gravity the satellite s inertia would carry it off into space.

The gps satellites circle the earth at an altitude of about 20 000 km 13 000 miles and complete two full orbits every day. The global positioning system gps originally navstar gps is a satellite based radionavigation system owned by the united states government and operated by the united states space force. Velocity of gps satellites global positioning system gps satellites travel approximately 14 000 km hour relative to the earth as a whole as opposed to relative to a fixed point on its surface. The mathematical procedures of calculating the satellite s orbital parameters and the satellites coordinates will be focuses in section 3.

The nominal gps satellite constellation consists of 24 space vehicles svs distributed in six orbital planes with an inclination of 55 degrees in relation to the equator. The six orbits are tipped at 55 from the equator with four satellites per orbit see diagram. This is approximately 17 000 mph 27 359 kph at an altitude of 150 miles 242 kilometers. The orbital keplerian motion is defined by six orbital parameters.

Orbital velocity is the velocity needed to achieve balance between gravity s pull on the satellite and the inertia of the satellite s motion the satellite s tendency to keep going. To obtain the closed form of the gps. A closed form of an algorithm to determine a global positioning system gps satellite s position velocity and acceleration is proposed and an earth centred earth fixed ecef to earth centred inertial eci transformation result using the civil navigation cnav message is presented in this paper. This equation holds for any orbiting object where the attraction is the force of gravity whether it s a human made satellite orbiting the earth or the earth orbiting the sun.

Each satellite broadcasts radio waves towards earth that contain information regarding its position and time.