Air drag correction for satellite orbits of low eccentricity

Abstract

A method is derived for removing the perturbations in eccentricity due to the effects of air drag, on satellite orbits of low eccentricity and, in particular, for those lying in planes inclined at angles close to the critical angle of inclination of 63.4°, for which the oscillation in eccentricity due to the Earth’s gravity field is significantly large.