Orbital and Celestial

Mechanics

John P. Vinti

Edited by
Gim J. Der
TRW
Los Angeles, California

Nino L. Bonavito
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland

Volume 177
PROGRESS IN
ASTRONAUTICS AND AERONAUTICS

Paul Zarchan, Editor-in-Chief

Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Published by the
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.
1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191-4344
 Table of Contents

Preface xv

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Newton's Laws 7

I. Newton's Laws of Motion 7
II. Newton's Law of Gravitation 7
III. The Gravitational Potential 8
IV. Gravitational Flux and Gauss' Theorem 10
V. Gravitational Properties of a True Sphere 11

Chapter 2 The Two-Body Problem 13

I. Reduction to the One-Center Problem 13
II. The One-Center Problem 14
III. The Laplace Vector 15
IV. The Conic Section Solutions 17
V. Elliptic Orbits 19
VI. Spherical Trigonometry 24
VII. Orbit in Space 24
VIII. Orbit Determination from Initial Values 29

Chapter 3 Lagrangian Dynamics ".". 31

I. Variations 31
II. D'Alembert's Principle 32
III. Hamilton's Principle : 32
IV. Lagrange's Equations \ 34
Reference 35

Chapter 4 The Hamiltonian Equations 37

I. An Important Theorem 39
II. Ignorable Variables 39

Chapter 5 Canonical Transformations 41

I. The Condition of Exact Differentials 41
II. Canonical Generating Functions 44
III. Extended Point Transformation 47
IV. Transformation from Plane Rectangular to Plane
Polar Coordinates 47
V. The Jacobi Integral 49
References 51

Chapter 6 Hamilton-Jacobi Theory 53

I. The Hamilton-Jacobi Equation 53

ix
 II. An Important Special Case 54
III. The Hamilton-Jacobi Equation for the Kepler Problem 55
IV. The Integrals for the Kepler Problem 58
V. Relations Connecting ^2 and /S3 with w and Q, 61
VI. Summary 69
Bibliography 70

Chapter 7 Hamilton-Jacobi Perturbation Theory 71

Bibliography 74

Chapter 8 The Vinti Spheroidal Method for Satellite Orbits

and Ballistic Trajectories 75
I. Introduction 75
II. The Coordinates and the Hamiltonian 75
III. The Hamilton-Jacobi Equation 77
IV. Laplace's Equation 78
V. Expansion of Potential in Spherical Harmonics 79
VI. Return to the HJ Equation 81
VII. The Kinematic Equations 82
VIII. Orbital Elements 83
IX. Factoring the Quartics 84
X. The p Integrals 85
XI. The r] Integrals 90
XII. The Mean Frequencies 96
XIII. Assembly of the Kinematic Equations 99
XIV. Solution of the Kinematic Equations 99
XV. The Periodic Terms 101
XVI. The Right Ascension (p 102
XVII. Further Developments 103
•References 105

Chapter 9 Delaunay Variables .\ 107

%
Reference 108

Chapter 10 The Lagrange Planetary Equations 109

I. Semi-Major Axis 110
II. Eccentricity 110
III. Inclination 110
IV. Mean Anomaly : . . . Ill
V. The Argument of Pericenter . 112
VI. The Longitude of the Node 112
VII. Summary 113
Reference 114

Chapter 11 The Planetary Disturbing Function 115

Bibliography . 117

Chapter 12 Gaussian Variational Equations for the Jacobi Elements 119

References 125
 XI

Chapter 13 G a u s s i a n Variational E q u a t i o n s for t h e K e p l e r i a n E l e m e n t s . . . . 127

I. Preliminaries 127
II. Equations for dj and a 130
III. Equations for a.2 and e 132
IV. Equations for a 3 and / 133
V. Equations for $ 3 = & 135
VI. Equations for fi2 = d> 136
VII. Equations for ft and I 140
VIII. Summary 144

Chapter 14 Potential Theory 145

I. Introduction 145
II. Laplace's Equation 147
III. The Eigenvalue Problem 151
IV. The R(r) Equation 153
V. The Assembled Solution 153
VI. Legendre Polynomials 154
VII. The Results for Pn(x) 154
VIII. The © Solution for m > 0 156
References 156

Chapter 15 The Gravitational Potential of a Planet 157

I. The Addition Theorem for Spherical Harmonics 157
II. The Standard Series 161
III. Orthogonality of Spherical Harmonics 166
IV. The Normalized Coefficients and Harmonics 168
V. The Figure of the Earth 169
VI. Geoid as an Oblate Spheroid 172
References - 173

Chapter 16 " Elementary Theory of Satellite Orbits with Use

of the Mean Anomaly 175
I. A Few Numbers \ 175
II. The Disturbing Function 175
III. Elliptic Expansions 177
IV. Solution of the Lagrange Variational Equations 184
V. Motion of Perigee, First Approximation 184
VI. Motion of the Node, First Approximation 186
VII. The Semi-Major Axis 187
VIII. The Inclination . 187
IX. The Eccentricity 188
X. Variation of the Mean Motion 189
XI. Variation of the Mean Anomaly 189
References 191

Chapter 17 Elementary Theory of Satellite Orbits

with Use of the True Anomaly 193
I. Introduction 193
II. Derivatives with Respect to e 195
III. The Semi-Major Axis a 195
XII

IV. The Eccentricity e 196

V. The Inclination / 197
VI. The Motion of the Node 198
VII. The Motion of Perigee 199
VIII. Variation of the Mean Anomaly 204
Reference 206

Chapter 18 The Effects of Drag on Satellite Orbits 207

I. Introduction 207
II. Components of the Drag in Terms of the Anomalies E a n d / 209
III. Equations for a and e in Terms of the True Anomaly 210
IV. Secular Behavior of a, e, ft), and€ 211
V. Equations for a and e in Terms of the Eccentric Anomaly 212
VI. An Equation for £ 212
VII. Equations for the Integration 213
References 218

Chapter 19 The Brouwer-von Zeipel Method I 219

I. Introduction 219
II. Splitting F\ into Two Parts 220
HI. Elimination of I 220
IV. Short Periodic Terms of Order J2 226
V. Second-Order Terms, General 230
VI. A Second Canonical Transformation 232
VII. Results to This Point 235
VIII. Secular Terms 236
IX. Algorithm 239
References 240

Chapter 20 The Brouwer-von Zeipel Method II 241

I. Introduction 241
II. The Effects of / 3 241
III. The Effects of 7 4 • > 246
IV. The Average A 4 F 247
Reference 251

Chapter 21 Lagrange and Poisson Brackets 253

I. Introduction 253
II. Lagrange Brackets 254
III. The Jacobi Relations 255
IV. Poisson Brackets 257
V. Invariance of a Poisson Bracket to a Contact Transformation 258
VI. Other Relations for Poisson Brackets 259
References 262

Chapter 22 Lie Series 263

I. Introduction 263
II. Hori's Section 1 263
III. Theorems 263
References 273
 XIII

Chapter 23 Perturbations by Lie Series 275

I. Introduction 275
II. Lie Transformations 275
III. Application to Satellite Orbits 277
IV. Elimination of the Mean Anomaly 278
V. Comparison with Brouwer's Theory 280
VI. A Second Lie Transformation 285
References 289

Chapter 24 The General Three-Body Problem 291

I. Introduction 291
II. Formulation of the General Three-Body Problem 291
III. Momentum Integrals 291
IV. Angular Momentum 292
V. Energy 293
VI. Stationary Solutions 294
VII. The Triangular Stationary Solution 295
VIII. The Collinear Stationary Solution . 296
Reference 298

Chapter 25 The Restricted Three-Body Problem 299

I. Introduction 299
II. Zero-Velocity Curves 304
III. Equilibrium Points 305
IV. Motion near the Equilibrium Points 312
V. Motion in the Plane of the Primaries 313
VI. Further Considerations About L 4 and L$ 320
VII. Further Considerations About the Collinear Points 323
References 327

Chapter 26 Staeckel Systems 329

I. Staeckel's Theorem 329
II. Staeckel Systems 332
III. The Staeckel Integrals \ 333
IV. An Example: The Kepler Problem 334
V. General Remarks About Separable Systems 335
VI. Motion According to*2 = F(x) 335
VII. Conditionally Periodic Staeckel Systems 337
VIII. Action and Angle Variables 341
IX. Keplerian Action Variables . . 342
X. Conditionally Periodic Staeckel Systems, Continued 347
References 352

Appendix A Coordinate Systems and Coordinate Transformations 353

I. Coordinate Systems 353
II. Coordinate Transformations 364
References 365

Appendix B Vinti Spheroidal Method Computational Procedure

and Trajectory Propagators 367
I. The Kepler Problem 368
II. Given Constants 368
XIV

III. The vinti3 Computation Procedure 369

IV. The vinti6 Computation Procedure 371
V. Summary of the Vinti Trajectory Propagators 374
References -.- 376

Appendix C Examples 377

I. Low-Earth Orbit 378
II. High-Earth Orbit 379
III. Molniya Orbit 379
IV. Geosynchronous Orbit 380
V. Parabolic Orbit of 0° Inclination 381
VI. "Parabolic Orbit" of 0° Inclination in the Oblate Spheroidal System . . . . 381
VII. Hyperbolic Orbit of 0° Inclination 382
VIII. Hyperbolic Orbit of 90° Inclination 383
IX. Long-Range Ballistic Missile Trajectory 384
X. Exo-Atmospheric Interceptor Trajectory 384

Appendix D How to Use the Vinti Routines 387

I. The Source Folder 387
II. The Examples Folder 387
III. The Users 388
IV. Some Editing Problems 389

Appendix E Bibliography 391

I. Papers Published by the Author 391
II. Papers Acknowledging Vinti's Work 394
III. Books Acknowledging Vinti's Work 396

Index 397