______________________________________________________________________________________

Copyright (C) 1998, 2001 by Flemming Hansen, Danish Space Research Institute
______________________________________________________________________________________

Delta-V Calculation for Lowering Perigee of Cubesat

File: Delta_V_Cubesat.mcd Date := 2001.0916

______________________________________________________________________________________

Initial Orbit Parameters (600 km circular LEO)

Apogee Height & Radius ha1 := 600 ⋅ km ra1 := ha1 + Rem

Perigee Height & Radius hp1 := 600 ⋅ km rp1 := hp1 + Rem

Semi-Major Axis ra1 + rp1

a1 := a1 = 6971.001 km
2

ra1
Eccentricity e1 := −1 e1 = 0.000000
a1

3
a1
Orbit Period Tp1 := 2 ⋅ π ⋅ Tp1 = 1.609 hr
µ
Tp1 = 96.539 min

2⋅π rev
Mean Motion n1 := n1 = 14.916264096
Tp1 day

−µ 7 J
Specific orbital energy E1 := E1 = −2.859 × 10
2 ⋅ a1 kg

-1
Velocity at Apogee va1 := Velo ( E1 , ra1) va1 = 7561.733 m s

-1
Velocity at Perigee vp1 := Velo ( E1 , rp1) vp1 = 7561.733 m s

1
Final Orbit Parameters (Perigee at 150 km)

Apogee Height & Radius ha2 := ha1 ra2 := ra1

Perigee Height & Radius hp2 := 150 ⋅ km rp2 := hp2 + Rem

Semi-Major Axis ra2 + rp2

a2 := a2 = 6746.001 km
2

ra2
Eccentricity e2 := −1 e2 = 0.033353
a2

3
a2
Orbit Period Tp2 := 2 ⋅ π ⋅ Tp2 = 1.532 hr
µ
Tp2 = 91.903 min

2⋅π rev
Mean Motion n2 := n2 = 15.668707756
Tp2 day

−µ 7 J
Specific orbital energy E2 := E2 = −2.954 × 10
2 ⋅ a2 kg

-1
Velocity at Apogee va2 := Velo ( E2 , ra2) va2 = 7434.56 m s

-1
Velocity at Perigee vp2 := Velo ( E2 , rp2) vp2 = 7947.602 m s

2
Propulsion Calculation

-1
Delta-V to raise apogee by perigee burn ∆v := va2 − va1 ∆v = 127.173 m s

Cold Gas

Initial spacecraft mass m0 := 1 ⋅ kg

Specific impulse of propellant Isp1 := 75 ⋅ s NB: Optimistic Isp value

Mass of propellant mp1 := PropMass ( m0 , ∆v , Isp1)

mp1 = 0.159 kg

Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Monopropellant

Specific impulse of propellant Isp2 := 150 ⋅ s NB: Realistic Isp value

Mass of propellant mp2 := PropMass ( m0 , ∆v , Isp2)

mp2 = 0.083 kg

Solid Propellant
Specific impulse of propellant Isp4 := 285 ⋅ s NB: Realistic Isp value

Mass of propellant mp4 := PropMass ( m0 , ∆v , Isp4)

mp4 = 0.044 kg

mp4
Total engine mass me4 := me4 = 0.051 kg
0.88

(Based on Thiokol Star 13B, 47 kg total mass)

3
General Constants
8 m
Velocity of light in vacuum c ≡ 2.99792458 ⋅ 10 ⋅
s

14 3 −2
Geocentric Gravitational Constant µ ≡ 3.986004418 ⋅ 10 ⋅m ⋅s

− 11 3 −1 2
Universal Gravitational Constant G ≡ 6.670 ⋅ 10 ⋅ m ⋅ kg ⋅s

Earth Radius at Pole Rep ≡ 6356.7523142 ⋅ km (WGS-84 Ellipsoid)

Earth Radius at Equator Ree ≡ 6378.1370 ⋅ km (WGS-84 Ellipsoid)

1

Earth Mean Radius (

Rem ≡ Rep ⋅ Ree
2
)3 Rem = 6371.00079 km

−2
Earth gravitational acceleration (Potsdam) ge ≡ 9.80665 ⋅ m ⋅ s (Kaye & Laby, 13th ed.)

Sidereal day sid ≡ 23 ⋅ hr + 56 ⋅ min + 4.09054 ⋅ s

11
Astronomical Unit AU ≡ 1.49600 ⋅ 10 ⋅m

−7 H
Permeability of vacuum µo ≡ 4 ⋅ π ⋅ 10 ⋅
m

− 12 F
Permittivity of vacuum εo ≡ 8.85416 ⋅ 10 ⋅
m

Wave impedance of vacuum η ≡ 376.731 ⋅ Ω

4
Useful Formulas
Scalar to dB conversion ConvdB ( x) ≡ 10 ⋅ log ( x )

0.1⋅ x
dB to scalar conversion ConvSc ( x ) ≡ 10

Rounding function ( s
(
round ( x , s ) ≡ if x ⋅ 10 − floor x ⋅ 10
s
) < 0.5 , 10− s ⋅floor(x ⋅10s) , 10− s ⋅ceil (x ⋅10s))
(Like in Excel) (x is number ot be rounded, s is the number of decimals or scale of rounding)
(negative s rounds to the left of the decimal point and positive s to the right)

 µ
Velocity vs. radius length in orbit Velo ( E , r) ≡ 2⋅E + 
 r

 − ∆V 
 Isp⋅ ge 
Propellant mass for given delta-V PropMass ( m , ∆V , Isp) ≡ m ⋅  1 − e 

5
Unit Definitions
3 −2 −3 −6
Length: m ≡ 1L km ≡ 10 ⋅ m cm ≡ 10 ⋅m mm ≡ 10 ⋅m µm ≡ 10 ⋅m
−9
nm ≡ 10 ⋅m
π
Angle: rad ≡ 1 deg ≡
180

−3 −6 −9 − 12
Time: s ≡ 1T ms ≡ 10 ⋅s µs ≡ 10 ⋅s ns ≡ 10 ⋅s ps ≡ 10 ⋅s

min ≡ 60 ⋅ s hr ≡ 60 ⋅ min day ≡ 24 ⋅ hr

Tropical year
 98  ⋅ day
1998: year ≡  365.242199 − 0.0000061 ⋅  year = 365.24219302 day
 100 

−1 3 6 9 12
Frequency: Hz ≡ 1T kHz ≡ 10 ⋅ Hz MHz ≡ 10 ⋅ Hz GHz ≡ 10 ⋅ Hz THz ≡ 10 ⋅ Hz

−3 −6 −9 3
Voltage: V ≡ volt mV ≡ 10 ⋅V µV ≡ 10 ⋅V nV ≡ 10 ⋅V kV ≡ 10 ⋅ V

−3 −6 −9 − 12
Current: A ≡ amp mA ≡ 10 ⋅A µA ≡ 10 ⋅A nA ≡ 10 ⋅A pA ≡ 10 ⋅A

−3 −6 −9 − 12
Power: W ≡ watt mW ≡ 10 ⋅W µW ≡ 10 ⋅W nW ≡ 10 ⋅W pW ≡ 10 ⋅W
3 6 9
kW ≡ 10 ⋅ W MW ≡ 10 ⋅ W GW ≡ 10 ⋅ W
−3 3 6 9
Resistance: Ω ≡ ohm mΩ ≡ 10 ⋅Ω kΩ ≡ 10 ⋅ Ω MΩ ≡ 10 ⋅ Ω GΩ ≡ 10 ⋅ Ω

−3 −6 −9 − 12
Capacity: F ≡ farad mF ≡ 10 ⋅F µF ≡ 10 ⋅F nF ≡ 10 ⋅F pF ≡ 10 ⋅F

−3 −6 −9 − 12
Inductance: H ≡ henry mH ≡ 10 ⋅H µH ≡ 10 ⋅H nH ≡ 10 ⋅H pH ≡ 10 ⋅H

Temperature: Celcius ≡ 1 K≡1

−3 −6 −9 − 12
Energy: J ≡ joule mJ ≡ 10 ⋅J µJ ≡ 10 ⋅J nJ ≡ 10 ⋅J pJ ≡ 10 ⋅J

3 6 9
kJ ≡ 10 ⋅ J MJ ≡ 10 ⋅ J GJ ≡ 10 ⋅ J

−3 −6 −9 − 12
Charge: C ≡ coul mC ≡ 10 ⋅C µC ≡ 10 ⋅C nC ≡ 10 ⋅C pC ≡ 10 ⋅C

−3 −6 −9 − 12
Magnetic B-field: T ≡ tesla mT ≡ 10 ⋅T µT ≡ 10 ⋅T nT ≡ 10 ⋅T pT ≡ 10 ⋅T
(Flux density)
−3 3
Force: N ≡ newton mN ≡ 10 ⋅N kN ≡ 10 ⋅ N

Decibel: dB ≡ 1

Revolution: rev ≡ 2 ⋅ π ⋅ rad