On mean revisit frequency of non-repeating satellite orbits with finite sensor range

Abstract

The length and the frequency of the visibility times during which a fixed ground station sees a non-geosynchronous satellite is a function of the parameters of a fixed ground station and a function of the orbital parameters of the satellite. The focus, in this paper, is on the mean revisit frequency of a non-geosynchronous satellite with non-repeating ground track as seen by a fixed ground station with a finite sensor range. A mathematical analysis is provided for the calculation of the mean revisit frequency. There are several possible application areas of such visibility statistics, like optimizing a gateway's latitude to maximize the mean revisit frequency of a satellite, thus maximizing the communication possibilities. The analytical solution provides a good match with simulation results at all latitudes and the mathematical background of the analytical solution is foreseen to be useful for the analysis and design of satellite constellations.