Determination of Satellite Decay for Low Earth Orbits

by Connor McDaniel

Submitted : Spring 2021

Satellites are designed to orbit the Earth for extremely long periods of time, but their useful life can be shortened if the satellites are in low Earth orbit. This is because atmospheric drag, which is miniscule in the low Earth orbit, still accumulates over long periods of time. This ultimately causes the satellite’s total energy to be reduced and the velocity to decrease.  Eventually, the energy loss will cause the orbit to decay. In this project, the equations that relate the satellite energy and altitude to time will be investigated.  The equations will then be applied to different satellites with various altitudes and characteristics to understand how the time for orbital decay differs.

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