Derive flight path angle from orbital elements

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on deriving the flight path angle from orbital elements, specifically focusing on the semimajor axis, semiminor axis, argument of periapsis, and true anomaly. The user, Mike, successfully calculated the position vector and velocity vector magnitude of an orbiting body but encountered difficulties determining the direction of the velocity vector, particularly the flight path angle. Ultimately, Mike resolved the issue independently, indicating a successful application of the relevant mathematical concepts.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of orbital mechanics and Keplerian elements
  • Familiarity with vector mathematics and coordinate transformations
  • Knowledge of two-dimensional motion analysis
  • Proficiency in programming for implementing mathematical functions
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the calculation of flight path angles in orbital mechanics
  • Explore the use of Python libraries for orbital simulations, such as Poliastro
  • Learn about the conversion between orbital elements and state vectors
  • Investigate advanced topics in astrodynamics, including perturbation theory
USEFUL FOR

Aerospace engineers, astrophysicists, and programmers working on orbital simulations or trajectory analysis will benefit from this discussion.

h4tt3n
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Hello everyone,

During the last few days I've been working to solve a "small" problem I hope someone here might be better at than I am.

I'm writing a function that returns the state vectors of an orbiting body of neglible mass based on the orbital elements semimajor axis, semiminor axis, argument of periapsis, and true anomaly. The function works in two dimensions only.

I have solved the problem so far as to calculate the orbiting body's position vector and velocity vector magnitude, but the direction of the velocity vector - especially the flight path angle - is causing me a headache.

Can someone please help me? I won't mind posting the source code and what math I've used so far, if this will be of any help.

Cheers,
Mike
 
Last edited:
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nevermind, I figured it out.
 

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