KEPLER'S LAWS
Satellite Communications Glossary
Satellite Communications — Kepler's Laws
Information on Kepler's Laws
Johann Kepler developed empirically three laws of planetary motion, based on conclusions drawn from the extensive observations of Mars by Tycho Brahe (taken around the year 1600). While they were originally defined in terms of the motion of the planets about the Sun, they apply equally to the motion of natural or artificial satellites about the Earth. Kepler’s first law states that the satellite follows an elliptical path in its orbit around the Earth. The satellite does not necessarily have uniform velocity around its orbit. Kepler’s second law states that the line joining the satellite with the centre of the Earth sweeps out equal areas in equal times. Kepler’s third law states that the cube of the mean distance of the satellite from the Earth is proportional to the square of its period.
Other topics in our resources on Satellite Communications related to Kepler's Laws include:
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