Graduate Calculating the Altitude of a Nominal Burst

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the Altitude of Nominal Burst for satellites using solar X-ray flux and particle precipitation rates, rather than balloon burst altitudes. Participants reference a 1998 Australian BOM Satellite Orbital Decay Calculations PDF, which includes a hardcoded re-entry altitude of 180 km. The conversation highlights the need for a modified methodology that utilizes the same variables for accurate altitude calculations. There is a consensus that existing resources do not provide clear methods for calculating re-entry forecasts in the public domain.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of solar X-ray flux and its impact on satellite behavior
  • Knowledge of particle precipitation rates and their relevance to satellite re-entry
  • Familiarity with orbital mechanics and controlled versus uncontrolled re-entries
  • Experience with satellite decay calculations and relevant software tools
NEXT STEPS
  • Research methods for calculating satellite re-entry using solar X-ray flux data
  • Explore the Australian BOM Satellite Orbital Decay Calculations PDF for methodology insights
  • Investigate controlled re-entry techniques and their impact on altitude calculations
  • Examine existing literature on satellite re-entry forecasts and their accuracy
USEFUL FOR

Satellite engineers, aerospace researchers, and professionals involved in satellite re-entry planning and orbital decay analysis will benefit from this discussion.

Laurie K
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Does anybody know how to calculate an incoming satellites Altitude of Nominal Burst (not balloon burst altitude) from solar X-ray flux and particle precipitation rates along with other standard variables?

For reference the following link is to an Australian BOM Satellite Orbital Decay Calculations PDF (1998) that has an Orbital Decay program with 180km hardcoded as the altitude of re entry and it uses solar X-ray flux and particle precipitation rates along with mass and other variables. It would be relatively easy to modify the methodology to calculate the correct re-entry altitude and remove the hard coded starting altitude (300km) if a method was available that used the same variables.

http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/Category/...Effects/SatelliteOrbitalDecayCalculations.pdf
 
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Laurie K said:
Does anybody know how to calculate an incoming satellites Altitude of Nominal Burst (not balloon burst altitude) from solar X-ray flux and particle precipitation rates along with other standard variables?

you labelled your thread a A for post graduate level ... personal research should be second nature for you

I put your "Altitude of Nominal Burst" into google and got zillions of hits, I'm sure some of them your be helpful to you

The first hit even had coding
 
davenn said:
The first hit even had coding

If you look that's my post. All you get when you google is nothing but balloon burst altitudes, that's why I made it advanced.
 
Laurie K said:
If you look that's my post. All you get when you google is nothing but balloon burst altitudes, that's why I made it advanced.

the links, including the one I commented on, were related to satellites, not balloons
maybe you need to refine your search parameters, shouldn't be too difficult for a post grad student :wink:
 
Davenn, sorry I come from Australia and when I google the US Strat Comm website for tiangong I get absolutely nothing (it has a line through tiangong). The only links I get globally for "Altitude of Nominal Burst" (i.e. exact spelling) are 4 pages of space junk re-entries associated with satview.org or derivative reports from them and satview says the projections are from the US Strategic Command. Satview's parent company sells a data service.
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Our computers consult in real time the largest research centers in the world, including the USGS, IRIS (Embedded Institutes for Seismic Surveys), SWPC (NOAA Space Weather Forecasting Center) and JPL (Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory), considered the largest space impact prediction center in the world.
 
Last edited:
Laurie K said:
Does anybody know how to calculate an incoming satellites Altitude of Nominal Burst (not balloon burst altitude) from solar X-ray flux and particle precipitation rates along with other standard variables?

For reference the following link is to an Australian BOM Satellite Orbital Decay Calculations PDF (1998) that has an Orbital Decay program with 180km hardcoded as the altitude of re entry and it uses solar X-ray flux and particle precipitation rates along with mass and other variables. It would be relatively easy to modify the methodology to calculate the correct re-entry altitude and remove the hard coded starting altitude (300km) if a method was available that used the same variables.

http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/Category/Educational/Space Weather/Space Weather Effects/SatelliteOrbitalDecayCalculations.pdf
I think the Altitude of Nominal Burst you are looking is for a controlled re-entry, where the satellite is given a burst from the thrusters to put it into an orbit for fast re-entry, or into an orbit with a more predictable frictional re-entry. Depending upon the power level available from the thrusters, one or the other is preferred.
https://conference.sdo.esoc.esa.int/proceedings/sdc7/paper/665/SDC7-paper665.pdf
 
Laurie K said:
Davenn, sorry I come from Australia

don't be sorry for being in Australia, I am from there too, a Sydneysider, it's an awesome country

I googled your own words

Laurie K said:
incoming satellites Altitude of Nominal Burst

and got many pages of hits :smile:
 
Thanks 256bits and Davenn.

Whatever it is there appears to be no real consensus at the moment on how to calculate accurate re-entry forecasts, at least in the public domain.
 
256bits said:
I think the Altitude of Nominal Burst you are looking is for a controlled re-entry, where the satellite is given a burst from the thrusters to put it into an orbit for fast re-entry, or into an orbit with a more predictable frictional re-entry. Depending upon the power level available from the thrusters, one or the other is preferred.
Things get even more difficult for uncontrolled re-entries like Tiangong I.
 

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