Saturday, July 19, 2008

Flower Constellations




Flower constellations are constellations where every satellite covers a closed loop trajectory that is repeating, characterized by axial symmetric dynamics. The term flower constellation defines a set of constellations on which the reference fame for the closed loop trajectory is repeated, and if traced reveal a flower pattern, often with six petals, but not always. When the constellation axis of symmetry is chosen to be the planet's spin axis, and that coincides with a fixed reference frame, then these constellations show beautiful dynamics.

GEOMETRY? A Flower Constellation, which can be symmetric or asymmetric, is defined by
six independent parameters: the number of petals (Np), the number of sidereal
days to repeat the ground track (Nd), the number of satellites (Ns), the
argument of perigee (!), the orbit critical inclination (i), and the perigee
altitude (hp). Thus, in specific, we will refer to a particular constellation as
a Np-Nd-Ns-!-i-hp Flower Constellation but, in general, we will use simply
a Np-Nd Flower Constellation.

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