Deviation of semi-major axis












8












$begingroup$


If I calculate the semi-major axis of Molniya-1T with
$a = sqrt[3]{dfrac{GM}{n^2}}$ with $n=3.18683728text{ }d^{-1}$, I get another apoapsis ($a=19505.7$ km) as noted at Heavens Above:




apogee height: 25659 km



perigee height: 595 km




which is $a=frac{25659+595}{2}=13127$ km.



This is my approach in Octave/MATLAB:



# Computes the semi major axis a from n with constant GM
# @params:
# GM constant (cubic km per square second)
# n: mean motion (revs/day)
# @return:
# a: semi major axis (km)

function a = getSemiMajorAxis(GM,n)
n = n*2*pi/(24*60*60); #conversion (revs/day) --> (rad/s)
a = (GM/(power(n,2))).^(1./3);
endfunction

getSemiMajorAxis(398600.44,3.18683728) # Test with Molniya-1T


So, what is the origin of the deviation? Isn't apogee the same as apoapsis basically?










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  • $begingroup$
    I saw your profile; here are some geoinformatics questions you might find interesting: Shape and dimensions of the Moon's reference surface for selenographic latitude/longitude? and How do we define geographical coordinates on non-spheroid celestial bodies?
    $endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Dec 28 '18 at 2:22


















8












$begingroup$


If I calculate the semi-major axis of Molniya-1T with
$a = sqrt[3]{dfrac{GM}{n^2}}$ with $n=3.18683728text{ }d^{-1}$, I get another apoapsis ($a=19505.7$ km) as noted at Heavens Above:




apogee height: 25659 km



perigee height: 595 km




which is $a=frac{25659+595}{2}=13127$ km.



This is my approach in Octave/MATLAB:



# Computes the semi major axis a from n with constant GM
# @params:
# GM constant (cubic km per square second)
# n: mean motion (revs/day)
# @return:
# a: semi major axis (km)

function a = getSemiMajorAxis(GM,n)
n = n*2*pi/(24*60*60); #conversion (revs/day) --> (rad/s)
a = (GM/(power(n,2))).^(1./3);
endfunction

getSemiMajorAxis(398600.44,3.18683728) # Test with Molniya-1T


So, what is the origin of the deviation? Isn't apogee the same as apoapsis basically?










share|improve this question











$endgroup$












  • $begingroup$
    I saw your profile; here are some geoinformatics questions you might find interesting: Shape and dimensions of the Moon's reference surface for selenographic latitude/longitude? and How do we define geographical coordinates on non-spheroid celestial bodies?
    $endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Dec 28 '18 at 2:22
















8












8








8


1



$begingroup$


If I calculate the semi-major axis of Molniya-1T with
$a = sqrt[3]{dfrac{GM}{n^2}}$ with $n=3.18683728text{ }d^{-1}$, I get another apoapsis ($a=19505.7$ km) as noted at Heavens Above:




apogee height: 25659 km



perigee height: 595 km




which is $a=frac{25659+595}{2}=13127$ km.



This is my approach in Octave/MATLAB:



# Computes the semi major axis a from n with constant GM
# @params:
# GM constant (cubic km per square second)
# n: mean motion (revs/day)
# @return:
# a: semi major axis (km)

function a = getSemiMajorAxis(GM,n)
n = n*2*pi/(24*60*60); #conversion (revs/day) --> (rad/s)
a = (GM/(power(n,2))).^(1./3);
endfunction

getSemiMajorAxis(398600.44,3.18683728) # Test with Molniya-1T


So, what is the origin of the deviation? Isn't apogee the same as apoapsis basically?










share|improve this question











$endgroup$




If I calculate the semi-major axis of Molniya-1T with
$a = sqrt[3]{dfrac{GM}{n^2}}$ with $n=3.18683728text{ }d^{-1}$, I get another apoapsis ($a=19505.7$ km) as noted at Heavens Above:




apogee height: 25659 km



perigee height: 595 km




which is $a=frac{25659+595}{2}=13127$ km.



This is my approach in Octave/MATLAB:



# Computes the semi major axis a from n with constant GM
# @params:
# GM constant (cubic km per square second)
# n: mean motion (revs/day)
# @return:
# a: semi major axis (km)

function a = getSemiMajorAxis(GM,n)
n = n*2*pi/(24*60*60); #conversion (revs/day) --> (rad/s)
a = (GM/(power(n,2))).^(1./3);
endfunction

getSemiMajorAxis(398600.44,3.18683728) # Test with Molniya-1T


So, what is the origin of the deviation? Isn't apogee the same as apoapsis basically?







orbital-mechanics orbit orbital-elements






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share|improve this question













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share|improve this question








edited Dec 28 '18 at 2:26









Peter Mortensen

21017




21017










asked Dec 27 '18 at 17:03









sequoiasequoia

1416




1416












  • $begingroup$
    I saw your profile; here are some geoinformatics questions you might find interesting: Shape and dimensions of the Moon's reference surface for selenographic latitude/longitude? and How do we define geographical coordinates on non-spheroid celestial bodies?
    $endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Dec 28 '18 at 2:22




















  • $begingroup$
    I saw your profile; here are some geoinformatics questions you might find interesting: Shape and dimensions of the Moon's reference surface for selenographic latitude/longitude? and How do we define geographical coordinates on non-spheroid celestial bodies?
    $endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Dec 28 '18 at 2:22


















$begingroup$
I saw your profile; here are some geoinformatics questions you might find interesting: Shape and dimensions of the Moon's reference surface for selenographic latitude/longitude? and How do we define geographical coordinates on non-spheroid celestial bodies?
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Dec 28 '18 at 2:22






$begingroup$
I saw your profile; here are some geoinformatics questions you might find interesting: Shape and dimensions of the Moon's reference surface for selenographic latitude/longitude? and How do we define geographical coordinates on non-spheroid celestial bodies?
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Dec 28 '18 at 2:22












1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















10












$begingroup$

Ok, that's embarrassing:



You just have to add earth's radius (traditionally the equatorial radius) of about 6378 or 6378.137 km to apogee or perigee heights to get distances to the center.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$









  • 3




    $begingroup$
    An endless source of confusion. Get used to it :)
    $endgroup$
    – SF.
    Dec 27 '18 at 21:17






  • 4




    $begingroup$
    It's good that you wrote an answer, others may well have the same issue!
    $endgroup$
    – Organic Marble
    Dec 27 '18 at 21:50










  • $begingroup$
    The clock in San Dimas, is always running... you have to dial one number higher.
    $endgroup$
    – Mazura
    Dec 28 '18 at 7:23











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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









10












$begingroup$

Ok, that's embarrassing:



You just have to add earth's radius (traditionally the equatorial radius) of about 6378 or 6378.137 km to apogee or perigee heights to get distances to the center.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$









  • 3




    $begingroup$
    An endless source of confusion. Get used to it :)
    $endgroup$
    – SF.
    Dec 27 '18 at 21:17






  • 4




    $begingroup$
    It's good that you wrote an answer, others may well have the same issue!
    $endgroup$
    – Organic Marble
    Dec 27 '18 at 21:50










  • $begingroup$
    The clock in San Dimas, is always running... you have to dial one number higher.
    $endgroup$
    – Mazura
    Dec 28 '18 at 7:23
















10












$begingroup$

Ok, that's embarrassing:



You just have to add earth's radius (traditionally the equatorial radius) of about 6378 or 6378.137 km to apogee or perigee heights to get distances to the center.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$









  • 3




    $begingroup$
    An endless source of confusion. Get used to it :)
    $endgroup$
    – SF.
    Dec 27 '18 at 21:17






  • 4




    $begingroup$
    It's good that you wrote an answer, others may well have the same issue!
    $endgroup$
    – Organic Marble
    Dec 27 '18 at 21:50










  • $begingroup$
    The clock in San Dimas, is always running... you have to dial one number higher.
    $endgroup$
    – Mazura
    Dec 28 '18 at 7:23














10












10








10





$begingroup$

Ok, that's embarrassing:



You just have to add earth's radius (traditionally the equatorial radius) of about 6378 or 6378.137 km to apogee or perigee heights to get distances to the center.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$



Ok, that's embarrassing:



You just have to add earth's radius (traditionally the equatorial radius) of about 6378 or 6378.137 km to apogee or perigee heights to get distances to the center.







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited Dec 28 '18 at 0:50









uhoh

38.4k18140489




38.4k18140489










answered Dec 27 '18 at 17:48









sequoiasequoia

1416




1416








  • 3




    $begingroup$
    An endless source of confusion. Get used to it :)
    $endgroup$
    – SF.
    Dec 27 '18 at 21:17






  • 4




    $begingroup$
    It's good that you wrote an answer, others may well have the same issue!
    $endgroup$
    – Organic Marble
    Dec 27 '18 at 21:50










  • $begingroup$
    The clock in San Dimas, is always running... you have to dial one number higher.
    $endgroup$
    – Mazura
    Dec 28 '18 at 7:23














  • 3




    $begingroup$
    An endless source of confusion. Get used to it :)
    $endgroup$
    – SF.
    Dec 27 '18 at 21:17






  • 4




    $begingroup$
    It's good that you wrote an answer, others may well have the same issue!
    $endgroup$
    – Organic Marble
    Dec 27 '18 at 21:50










  • $begingroup$
    The clock in San Dimas, is always running... you have to dial one number higher.
    $endgroup$
    – Mazura
    Dec 28 '18 at 7:23








3




3




$begingroup$
An endless source of confusion. Get used to it :)
$endgroup$
– SF.
Dec 27 '18 at 21:17




$begingroup$
An endless source of confusion. Get used to it :)
$endgroup$
– SF.
Dec 27 '18 at 21:17




4




4




$begingroup$
It's good that you wrote an answer, others may well have the same issue!
$endgroup$
– Organic Marble
Dec 27 '18 at 21:50




$begingroup$
It's good that you wrote an answer, others may well have the same issue!
$endgroup$
– Organic Marble
Dec 27 '18 at 21:50












$begingroup$
The clock in San Dimas, is always running... you have to dial one number higher.
$endgroup$
– Mazura
Dec 28 '18 at 7:23




$begingroup$
The clock in San Dimas, is always running... you have to dial one number higher.
$endgroup$
– Mazura
Dec 28 '18 at 7:23


















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