Challenge: A satellite is inserted into a 300 km circular orbit (i = 98.8°, RAAN = 306°, AoP = 0°, TA = 54°). The objective is to plan maneuvers to reach an 800 km Sun‑synchronous orbit (i = 98.558°) such that the satellite passes over a randomly chosen ground location 19.72°N, 82.98°E at approximately the same local time each day (target LTAN = 10:00).
Two initial maneuvers were executed: a Hohmann transfer to raise the orbit to 800 km, followed by an inclination correction burn at the new apogee. After raising, the average local time of passes over the target was 9:53. This 7‑minute offset (1.75° in RAAN) was corrected by exploiting the faster nodal precession at 300 km. An appropriate coasting period was inserted before the Hohmann transfer so that the RAAN drifts enough to achieve the desired 10:00 LTAN.
Coast at 300 km for 5.68 days, allowing RAAN to precess eastward at 1.29°/day (vs. 0.982°/day after raising). Accumulated ΔΩ = 1.75°.
Two burns: first at perigee (300 km → 800 km apogee), second at new apogee to circularize. ΔV ≈ 0.56 km/s.
Combined with second Hohmann burn at apogee to correct Δi = 0.242°. ΔV ≈ 0.03 km/s.
The satellite first coasts in the initial 300 km orbit for 5.68 days, allowing RAAN to drift eastward by 1.75° relative to the no‑coast case. Then the Hohmann transfer is initiated, raising the orbit to 800 km. At the new apogee, the inclination burn is performed (combined with circularization). Post‑maneuver, the ground track repeats with LTAN = 10:00 over the target (19.72°N, 82.98°E).
| Date | AOS (UTC) | LOS (UTC) | Duration (s) | LTAN (local) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb 2024 | 04:21:53.538 | 04:33:35.361 | 701.8 | 10:02 |
| 14 Feb 2024 | 03:57:31.253 | 04:06:54.333 | 563.1 | 09:58 |
| 15 Feb 2024 | 03:34:38.030 | 03:38:55.903 | 257.9 | 09:36 |
| 16 Feb 2024 | 04:43:43.536 | 04:56:29.443 | 765.9 | 10:04 |
| 17 Feb 2024 | 04:18:45.931 | 04:30:15.185 | 689.3 | 09:59 |
| 18 Feb 2024 | 03:54:30.462 | 04:03:28.771 | 538.3 | 09:55 |
| 19 Feb 2024 | 03:32:09.284 | 03:35:00.011 | 170.7 | 09:33 |
| 20 Feb 2024 | 04:40:32.239 | 04:53:11.956 | 759.7 | 10:01 |
| 21 Feb 2024 | 04:15:39.152 | 04:26:54.404 | 675.3 | 09:56 |
| 22 Feb 2024 | 03:51:31.193 | 04:00:01.936 | 510.7 | 09:52 |
| 23 Feb 2024 | 05:02:42.094 | 05:15:51.704 | 789.6 | 10:03 |
| 24 Feb 2024 | 04:37:21.606 | 04:49:53.989 | 752.4 | 09:58 |
| 25 Feb 2024 | 04:12:33.246 | 04:23:32.952 | 659.7 | 09:53 |
| 26 Feb 2024 | 03:48:33.687 | 03:56:33.565 | 479.9 | 09:49 |
| 27 Feb 2024 | 04:59:28.316 | 05:12:35.975 | 787.7 | 10:00 |
| 28 Feb 2024 | 04:34:11.648 | 04:46:35.509 | 743.9 | 09:55 |
| 29 Feb 2024 | 04:09:28.262 | 04:20:10.759 | 642.5 | 09:50 |
| 01 Mar 2024 | 05:21:56.274 | 05:35:02.523 | 786.2 | 10:02 |
| 02 Mar 2024 | 04:56:15.141 | 05:09:19.770 | 784.6 | 09:57 |
| 03 Mar 2024 | 04:31:02.373 | 04:43:16.484 | 734.1 | 09:52 |
| 04 Mar 2024 | 04:06:24.252 | 04:16:47.747 | 623.5 | 09:47 |
| 05 Mar 2024 | 05:18:40.085 | 05:31:48.497 | 788.4 | 09:59 |
| 06 Mar 2024 | 04:53:02.557 | 05:06:03.076 | 780.5 | 09:54 |
| 07 Mar 2024 | 04:27:53.788 | 04:39:56.886 | 723.1 | 09:49 |
| 08 Mar 2024 | 04:03:21.279 | 04:13:23.835 | 602.6 | 09:44 |
| 09 Mar 2024 | 05:15:24.473 | 05:28:33.969 | 789.5 | 09:56 |
| 10 Mar 2024 | 04:49:50.554 | 05:02:45.887 | 775.3 | 09:51 |
| 11 Mar 2024 | 04:24:45.900 | 04:36:36.692 | 710.8 | 09:46 |
| 12 Mar 2024 | 04:00:19.423 | 04:09:58.928 | 579.5 | 09:41 |
| 13 Mar 2024 | 05:12:09.411 | 05:25:18.946 | 789.5 | 09:53 |
| 14 Mar 2024 | 04:46:39.115 | 04:59:28.198 | 769.1 | 09:48 |
Target: DefaultSC
Observer: GroundStation1
Start Time (UTC) Stop Time (UTC) Duration (s)
12 Feb 2024 17:13:06.658 12 Feb 2024 17:25:55.088 768.43013124
12 Feb 2024 18:54:29.240 12 Feb 2024 19:02:59.782 510.54152552
13 Feb 2024 04:21:53.538 13 Feb 2024 04:33:35.361 701.82317571
13 Feb 2024 06:01:34.484 13 Feb 2024 06:13:00.229 685.74431817
13 Feb 2024 16:47:52.918 13 Feb 2024 16:59:35.065 702.14691415
13 Feb 2024 18:27:37.978 13 Feb 2024 18:38:49.818 671.84023855
14 Feb 2024 03:57:31.253 14 Feb 2024 04:06:54.333 563.07960745
14 Feb 2024 05:35:07.246 14 Feb 2024 05:47:53.580 766.33399433
14 Feb 2024 16:23:16.810 14 Feb 2024 16:32:32.629 555.81898625
14 Feb 2024 18:01:21.229 14 Feb 2024 18:13:55.239 754.00953832
15 Feb 2024 03:34:38.030 15 Feb 2024 03:38:55.903 257.87218369
15 Feb 2024 05:09:11.480 15 Feb 2024 05:22:21.800 790.31997838
15 Feb 2024 06:54:56.914 15 Feb 2024 06:56:29.251 92.337123316
15 Feb 2024 16:00:37.870 15 Feb 2024 16:03:27.707 169.83708988
15 Feb 2024 17:35:26.987 15 Feb 2024 17:48:29.622 782.63488597
15 Feb 2024 19:19:27.347 15 Feb 2024 19:22:25.702 178.35463729
16 Feb 2024 04:43:43.536 16 Feb 2024 04:56:29.443 765.90689005
16 Feb 2024 06:25:17.715 16 Feb 2024 06:34:24.318 546.60354105
16 Feb 2024 17:09:53.345 16 Feb 2024 17:22:36.089 762.74492363
16 Feb 2024 18:51:02.868 16 Feb 2024 18:59:59.302 536.43463404
17 Feb 2024 04:18:45.931 17 Feb 2024 04:30:15.185 689.25348805
17 Feb 2024 05:58:11.134 17 Feb 2024 06:09:52.052 700.91767777
17 Feb 2024 16:44:44.327 17 Feb 2024 16:56:11.534 687.20606655
17 Feb 2024 18:24:17.404 17 Feb 2024 18:35:42.078 684.67360380
18 Feb 2024 03:54:30.462 18 Feb 2024 04:03:28.771 538.30939002
18 Feb 2024 05:31:48.533 18 Feb 2024 05:44:41.565 773.03197965
18 Feb 2024 16:20:15.309 18 Feb 2024 16:29:01.252 525.94270650
18 Feb 2024 17:58:03.844 18 Feb 2024 18:10:43.079 759.23461276
19 Feb 2024 03:32:09.284 19 Feb 2024 03:35:00.011 170.72697768
19 Feb 2024 05:05:56.482 19 Feb 2024 05:19:06.972 790.49056530
19 Feb 2024 06:50:31.603 19 Feb 2024 06:54:21.802 230.19868853
19 Feb 2024 17:32:12.207 19 Feb 2024 17:45:13.806 781.59953433
19 Feb 2024 19:15:33.701 19 Feb 2024 19:19:53.877 260.17551528
20 Feb 2024 04:40:32.239 20 Feb 2024 04:53:11.956 759.71725385
20 Feb 2024 06:21:47.843 20 Feb 2024 06:31:22.099 574.25547880
20 Feb 2024 17:06:41.365 20 Feb 2024 17:19:16.556 755.19124679
20 Feb 2024 18:47:37.456 20 Feb 2024 18:56:57.538 560.08225176
21 Feb 2024 04:15:39.152 21 Feb 2024 04:26:54.404 675.25211717
21 Feb 2024 05:54:48.651 21 Feb 2024 06:06:43.166 714.51550591
21 Feb 2024 16:41:36.265 21 Feb 2024 16:52:47.266 671.00045106
21 Feb 2024 18:20:57.203 21 Feb 2024 18:32:33.682 696.47876947
22 Feb 2024 03:51:31.193 22 Feb 2024 04:00:01.936 510.74265662
22 Feb 2024 05:28:30.476 22 Feb 2024 05:41:29.053 778.57692229
22 Feb 2024 16:17:15.332 22 Feb 2024 16:25:28.150 492.81798770
22 Feb 2024 17:54:46.697 22 Feb 2024 18:07:30.430 763.73271971
23 Feb 2024 05:02:42.094 23 Feb 2024 05:15:51.704 789.60937131
23 Feb 2024 06:46:36.057 23 Feb 2024 06:51:44.728 308.67193487
23 Feb 2024 17:28:57.649 23 Feb 2024 17:41:57.540 779.89092014
23 Feb 2024 19:11:50.886 23 Feb 2024 19:17:10.864 319.97776962
24 Feb 2024 04:37:21.606 24 Feb 2024 04:49:53.989 752.38378962
24 Feb 2024 06:18:19.492 24 Feb 2024 06:28:18.496 599.00358656
24 Feb 2024 17:03:29.685 24 Feb 2024 17:15:56.515 746.83059573
24 Feb 2024 18:44:12.840 24 Feb 2024 18:53:54.672 581.83154695
25 Feb 2024 04:12:33.246 25 Feb 2024 04:23:32.952 659.70640588
25 Feb 2024 05:51:26.988 25 Feb 2024 06:03:33.598 726.60984158
25 Feb 2024 16:38:28.765 25 Feb 2024 16:49:22.241 653.47516893
25 Feb 2024 18:17:37.327 25 Feb 2024 18:29:24.694 707.36651280
26 Feb 2024 03:48:33.687 26 Feb 2024 03:56:33.565 479.87743289
26 Feb 2024 05:25:13.063 26 Feb 2024 05:38:16.041 782.97769303
26 Feb 2024 16:14:17.223 26 Feb 2024 16:21:52.993 455.76953396
26 Feb 2024 17:51:29.764 26 Feb 2024 18:04:17.331 767.56760040
27 Feb 2024 04:59:28.316 27 Feb 2024 05:12:35.975 787.65892612
27 Feb 2024 06:42:50.164 27 Feb 2024 06:48:58.118 367.95433278
27 Feb 2024 17:25:43.303 27 Feb 2024 17:38:40.851 777.54880287
27 Feb 2024 19:08:13.422 27 Feb 2024 19:14:22.165 368.74271049
28 Feb 2024 04:34:11.648 28 Feb 2024 04:46:35.509 743.86136332
28 Feb 2024 06:14:52.478 28 Feb 2024 06:25:13.669 621.19077668
28 Feb 2024 17:00:18.306 28 Feb 2024 17:12:35.979 737.67306895
28 Feb 2024 18:40:48.894 28 Feb 2024 18:50:50.847 601.95375946
29 Feb 2024 04:09:28.262 29 Feb 2024 04:20:10.759 642.49702584
29 Feb 2024 05:48:06.100 29 Feb 2024 06:00:23.369 737.26908239
29 Feb 2024 16:35:21.875 29 Feb 2024 16:45:56.426 634.55060067
29 Feb 2024 18:14:17.738 29 Feb 2024 18:26:15.169 717.43079040
01 Mar 2024 03:45:38.274 01 Mar 2024 03:53:03.303 445.02857022
01 Mar 2024 05:21:56.274 01 Mar 2024 05:35:02.523 786.24897382
01 Mar 2024 16:11:21.509 01 Mar 2024 16:18:15.271 413.76225326
01 Mar 2024 17:48:13.026 01 Mar 2024 18:01:03.819 770.79253136
02 Mar 2024 04:56:15.141 02 Mar 2024 05:09:19.770 784.62935281
02 Mar 2024 06:39:09.762 02 Mar 2024 06:46:06.105 416.34226340
02 Mar 2024 17:22:29.161 02 Mar 2024 17:35:23.764 774.60309175
02 Mar 2024 19:04:39.298 02 Mar 2024 19:11:29.810 410.51182172
03 Mar 2024 04:31:02.373 03 Mar 2024 04:43:16.484 734.11086394
03 Mar 2024 06:11:26.652 03 Mar 2024 06:22:07.741 641.08952712
03 Mar 2024 16:57:07.240 03 Mar 2024 17:09:14.956 727.71606924
03 Mar 2024 18:37:25.520 03 Mar 2024 18:47:46.183 620.66375624
04 Mar 2024 04:06:24.252 04 Mar 2024 04:16:47.747 623.49538693
04 Mar 2024 05:44:45.939 04 Mar 2024 05:57:12.500 746.56029192
04 Mar 2024 16:32:15.661 04 Mar 2024 16:42:29.776 614.11420132
04 Mar 2024 18:10:58.408 04 Mar 2024 18:23:05.157 726.74934809
05 Mar 2024 03:42:45.444 05 Mar 2024 03:49:30.640 405.19513265
05 Mar 2024 05:18:40.085 05 Mar 2024 05:31:48.497 788.41210236
05 Mar 2024 16:08:29.056 05 Mar 2024 16:14:34.139 365.08294358
05 Mar 2024 17:44:56.474 05 Mar 2024 17:57:49.924 773.44916489
06 Mar 2024 04:53:02.557 06 Mar 2024 05:06:03.076 780.51867932
06 Mar 2024 06:35:33.089 06 Mar 2024 06:43:10.426 457.33706531
06 Mar 2024 17:19:15.227 06 Mar 2024 17:32:06.299 771.07206396
06 Mar 2024 19:01:07.510 06 Mar 2024 19:08:34.832 447.32197429
07 Mar 2024 04:27:53.788 07 Mar 2024 04:39:56.886 723.09826274
07 Mar 2024 06:08:01.888 07 Mar 2024 06:19:00.815 658.92665565
07 Mar 2024 16:53:56.508 07 Mar 2024 17:05:53.450 716.94165731
07 Mar 2024 18:34:02.647 07 Mar 2024 18:44:40.779 638.13171055
08 Mar 2024 04:03:21.279 08 Mar 2024 04:13:23.835 602.55603095
08 Mar 2024 05:41:26.462 08 Mar 2024 05:54:01.014 754.55215507
08 Mar 2024 16:29:10.215 08 Mar 2024 16:39:02.226 592.01093784
08 Mar 2024 18:07:39.320 08 Mar 2024 18:19:54.704 735.38354802
09 Mar 2024 03:39:55.993 09 Mar 2024 03:45:54.762 358.76934909
09 Mar 2024 05:15:24.473 09 Mar 2024 05:28:33.969 789.49575828
09 Mar 2024 16:05:41.479 09 Mar 2024 16:10:48.011 306.53221572
09 Mar 2024 17:41:40.109 09 Mar 2024 17:54:35.675 775.56642954
10 Mar 2024 04:49:50.554 10 Mar 2024 05:02:45.887 775.33227772
10 Mar 2024 06:31:59.185 10 Mar 2024 06:40:12.020 492.83422083
10 Mar 2024 17:16:01.512 10 Mar 2024 17:28:48.473 766.96133483
10 Mar 2024 18:57:37.476 10 Mar 2024 19:05:37.844 480.36743162
11 Mar 2024 04:24:45.900 11 Mar 2024 04:36:36.692 710.79222313
11 Mar 2024 06:04:38.078 11 Mar 2024 06:15:52.978 674.89939610
11 Mar 2024 16:50:46.141 11 Mar 2024 17:02:31.450 705.31537319
11 Mar 2024 18:30:40.226 11 Mar 2024 18:41:34.715 654.48894084
12 Mar 2024 04:00:19.423 12 Mar 2024 04:09:58.928 579.50525073
12 Mar 2024 05:38:07.623 12 Mar 2024 05:50:48.939 761.31639965
12 Mar 2024 16:26:05.652 12 Mar 2024 16:35:33.685 568.03302211
12 Mar 2024 18:04:20.467 12 Mar 2024 18:16:43.845 743.37759916
13 Mar 2024 03:37:11.381 13 Mar 2024 03:42:14.189 302.80758954
13 Mar 2024 05:12:09.411 13 Mar 2024 05:25:18.946 789.53555042
13 Mar 2024 16:03:02.529 13 Mar 2024 16:06:53.160 230.63033663
13 Mar 2024 17:38:23.934 13 Mar 2024 17:51:21.094 777.15977957
14 Mar 2024 04:46:39.115 14 Mar 2024 04:59:28.198 769.08219281
14 Mar 2024 06:28:27.452 14 Mar 2024 06:37:11.463 524.01145786
14 Mar 2024 17:12:48.031 14 Mar 2024 17:25:30.294 762.26313435
14 Mar 2024 18:54:08.831 14 Mar 2024 19:02:39.243 510.41254877
