Feasibility Study of Using Multiple Orbits of the Sixteen-Turn Classfor Earth Surface Observation
Authors: Sobolev I.A.
Published in issue: #10(178)/2026
Category: Aviation and Rocket-Space Engineering | Chapter: Aircraft Dynamics, Ballistics, Motion Control
The determination of the main characteristics of the currently underused “sixteen-turn” class of orbits is considered; attention to these orbits is becoming more relevant as interest in very low Earth orbit spacecraft grows. The distribution of multiple Sun-synchronous orbits located in the altitude range from 100 to 300 km by altitudes and inclinations is shown. The conditions for achieving complete coverage of the Earth's surface by a single spacecraft over the repetition period are analyzed. The number of spacecraft in a given orbit required to provide operational coverage of the Earth's surface within a period of one day is determined. It is shown that the transition from the requirement of ensuring complete coverage of the Earth's surface to the requirement of ensuring complete coverage of latitudes including the territory of Russia does not lead to a radical reduction in the size of the satellite constellation. Numerical results of the studies are presented.
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