A METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE PROPELLANT REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN AN EARTH ORBITAL VEHICLE IN A USEFUL ORBIT BETWEEN TWO SPECIFIED ALTITUDE LIMITS

摘要

A set of working charts is presented which allows rapid determination of the propellant requirements for maintaining an earth orbital vehicle in a permanent circular orbit in the altitude range of l6o to 300 nautical miles. The orbit is allowed to decay to a predetermined altitude below the original orbital altitude, and a Hohmann transfer maneuver is used to return the vehicle to a circular orbit at its original altitude. The number of such corrections required per year, and the velocity requirement to make a correction are combined to give the yearly pro¬pellant consumption requirement.nTwo atmosphere models were used, the 1959 ARDC model atmosphere, and the 1962 U.S. standard atmosphere.