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Tony's Intertwingled Memex • Reference Manual

Aerospace Engineering (Satellite Orbit Path Modeling)

Formulas & Definitions

A communication satellite is deployed into a geostationary transfer path. Relative to a global earth tracking coordinate center (measured in kilometers), the satellite passes directly through an initial orbital insertion checkpoint at A=(4200,1500,6300)A = (4200, 1500, 6300)A=(4200,1500,6300) and is tracked moving along a linear vector trajectory toward a target deep-space relay node located at B=(4350,1620,6500)B = (4350, 1620, 6500)B=(4350,1620,6500).

  1. Write the vector equation r⃗(t)\vec{r}(t)r(t) that maps out the satellite's linear flight trajectory.
  2. Express this trajectory as a set of parametric equations (x(t),y(t),z(t)x(t), y(t), z(t)x(t),y(t),z(t)).
  3. Determine the satellite's exact 3D spatial coordinates at t=0.4t = 0.4t=0.4 (representing 40%40\%40% completion of this flight leg).