Satellite Position: Calculating ECI from ECEF

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the conversion of satellite position data from Earth-Centered Earth-Fixed (ECEF) coordinates to Earth-Centered Inertial (ECI) coordinates. The original poster is attempting to calculate the necessary transformation for a satellite's site vectors based on observations taken at different times.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster outlines their attempts to calculate the ECEF position and raises questions about the necessary steps to convert this to ECI, specifically inquiring about the role of matrix multiplication and the impact of Earth's rotation and time differences between observations.

Discussion Status

Some participants acknowledge the complexity of the problem and confirm that matrix multiplication is involved in the transformation process. There is a suggestion to provide more detailed information about the homework question, indicating a need for clarity in the original poster's inquiry.

Contextual Notes

The original poster has calculated Julian dates and time differences between observations, which are relevant to the transformation process. There is a mention of a lack of familiarity with the topic by one participant, leading to a request for the thread to be moved to a more appropriate forum for advanced physics discussions.

Imagin_e
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Homework Statement


Hi!

I just found this forum after trying to calculate something regarding a satellite's orbit. Hope that you can help me here. So, I need to calculate the matrix of a satellite's site vectors. I have found it in the ECEF form, but since the satellite is doing observations in different times, I need it in ECI for this particular problem.

Homework Equations


See below.

The Attempt at a Solution


I searched and for the ECEF position, we have the following equations to use: (see the attached file)

I have, from my values and by using these equation, the site position in ECEF:

r = [-7166.056 -6364.272 -3210.412
-1309.400 -186.778 824.20
669.27 -3545.190 -6467.48 ]

How do I get the ECI position now? I guess that I need to consider the rotation of the Earth and the time between the observations. Is a matrix multiplication necessary?

Thanks in advance!
 

Attachments

  • EFEC position.png
    EFEC position.png
    8.5 KB · Views: 646
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Welcome to PF! Your problem is very special. Yes, change of coordinate system involves matrix multiplication. You can ask about ECI and ECEF in general in the Forum "Classical Physics". If you want to ask about a homework problem, write the question in detail, and post it to Homework/Advanced Physics.
 
ehild said:
Welcome to PF! Your problem is very special. Yes, change of coordinate system involves matrix multiplication. You can ask about ECI and ECEF in general in the Forum "Classical Physics". If you want to ask about a homework problem, write the question in detail, and post it to Homework/Advanced Physics.
Thanks!
The thing is, I cannot find it here. Let be show what I've done so far. I have the data below, and I'm only going to look at the nr 3, 5 and 6 data (See data).

I calculated the Julian date (easy), which is:

JD1= 2,456,159.986 435
JD2= 2,456,159.991 991
JD3= 2,456,159.994

Next, the change in times between the observations : tau1= 2,456,159.986 435− 2,456,159.991 991 = -8 min and
tau2=2,456,159.994 769 − 2,456,159.991 991 = 4 min

The I used the equations I posted above and got (see EFEC)

NOW I'm stuck, how should I rotate/transform it to get the ECI position?
 

Attachments

  • data.png
    data.png
    4.8 KB · Views: 541
  • ECEF.png
    ECEF.png
    1.9 KB · Views: 574
Also, I know how the formula for ECEF to ECI looks like (rather a matrix), but how should I perform the operation?
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2015-10-19 at 12.07.29.png
    Screen Shot 2015-10-19 at 12.07.29.png
    2.3 KB · Views: 562
Soory, I am not familiar with the topic. I ask the Mentors to move your thread to Advanced Physics.
 

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