Sirius orbital path
Sirius orbital path
(OP)
Can anyone recommend a site or a resource that will enable me to view the orbital path of sirius satellites???
I have googled the topic, and looked at a site in another thread named "satellite coverage" previously, but I still can't find any way to approximate where the satellites might me and when.
I believe them to be elliptical in their orbit(s), as stated on the sirius website, but finding out where they are at any point in time seems to be a state secret.
This infomation could be of value to me as I travel regarding how to avoid obstructions.
I have maintained sirius service in my auto almost all the way to Mexico city, which is won-der-ful.
rmw
I have googled the topic, and looked at a site in another thread named "satellite coverage" previously, but I still can't find any way to approximate where the satellites might me and when.
I believe them to be elliptical in their orbit(s), as stated on the sirius website, but finding out where they are at any point in time seems to be a state secret.
This infomation could be of value to me as I travel regarding how to avoid obstructions.
I have maintained sirius service in my auto almost all the way to Mexico city, which is won-der-ful.
rmw
RE: Sirius orbital path
Sirius uses a trio of Loral FS1300 satellites in unique elliptical orbits in an effort to avoid the problems posed by geostationary satellites.
The orbits, shaped like figure eights, allow the satellites to appear higher in the sky than XM’s, cutting down on the potential for a listener to be out of range of a satellite signal -- and allowing Sirius to have a much smaller number of repeaters.
Sirius’ repeater network also avoids the need for specialized antennas that can track the company’s non-geostationary satellites as they move about the sky, Sirius feeds its repeaters using capacity on a geostationary satellite leased from a traditional satellite operator. Listeners can’t tell that the signals they receive via the repeaters do not travel over Sirius’ fleet of satellites.
The Sirius satellites each spend about 16 hours over the United States, then whip around the other side of the Earth and return eight hours later for another stint hovering over Sirius’ listening area, according to Ted Hessler, the company’s vice president of space segment and enterprise operations.
Two Sirius spacecraft cover the United States at any given time, Hessler said.
RE: Sirius orbital path
I did not find anything there that I had not already seen on Google. (especially since it used google search)
I was already aware of most of what you related to me, but I don't remember where I got it.
I still would like to see where the satellites go when they are not over north america, and where they are at the various points when they are. Someone must know.
rmw
RE: Sirius orbital path
They just announced that the fourm membership is approaching a quarter million. There has to be someone within a quarter million people who knows the answer to my question.
A little help please.
rmw
RE: Sirius orbital path
http://www.stk.com/products/order/
TTFN
RE: Sirius orbital path
That looks like what I am looking for, but (1) I am not an aerospace professional, and I don't want to represent myself as such, and (2), when I tried to look at their order screen to see what would be ask regardng (1) above, it would not go there, so I seem to be stuck. Got any suggestions??
rmw
RE: Sirius orbital path
TTFN
RE: Sirius orbital path
rmw
RE: Sirius orbital path
There is a site online that will show you the two line element set of the Sirius satellites that is updated once or twice a day. Its available from the Norad tracking stations. Here's a link to the tracking data for all unclassified objects that Norad tracks.
http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/
And specifically for the Sirius constellation:
http://celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/other-comm.txt
The two line element set is going to give you their location at a point in time and to see a track of their position, you have two easy options. One is to get a book on celestial mechanics and figure out how to convert a two line element set and then propagate the orbit mathematically. The second, and already mentioned option, is to download an evaluation copy of STK and enter the set and let it do the conversions and propagation for you. STK hands out thousands of CDs with free evaluation versions so I would imagine that they would let you download one. Just checked their website, the following link will let you order a free evaluation copy.
http://www.stk.com/products/eval/eval0.cfm
Hope this helps.
Brian Lewis
The Aerospace Corporation
http://www.aero.org/
RE: Sirius orbital path
I don't know who gave you the first star, but I gave the second one.
The links worked, and I got in and got an order in place.
Thanks for your help.
rmw
RE: Sirius orbital path
I do hope that helps. I reread your initial post and another item that STK might help you with is that you can set up mobile ground stations (your car) and then have STK compute the AZEL (azimuth and elevation) that you would need to point an antenna to in order to track the satellite. Its somewhat complicated, but the STK help files should be able to walk you through the process.
Brian Lewis
The Aerospace Corporation
http://www.aero.org/
RE: Sirius orbital path
SIRIUS 1 -
http://www.heavens-above.com/orbitdisplay.asp?sati...
SIRIUS 2 -
http://www.heavens-above.com/orbitdisplay.asp?sati...
SIRIUS 3 -
http://www.heavens-above.com/orbitdisplay.asp?sati...
I don't know why they don't provide this information on the SIRIUS website since it will NOW help me.
Hope it helps someone else,
Robert
RE: Sirius orbital path
That is exactly what I was looking for. I was unable to load the software that valhalla recommended to me because of the boat anchor OS that my computer uses, so I was still stuck.
This answers my question and gives me the help I needed. Thanks.
rmw
RE: Sirius orbital path
of the sirius and the xm sats
RE: Sirius orbital path
Thanks for that. That is the best that I have seen, and it makes my observation regarding reception make sense.
I went back to the home page of the site you found this on, and could not find the link to this page. How the heck did you find this??? I never would have looked here, for sure.
Thanks again.
rmw
RE: Sirius orbital path
RE: Sirius orbital path
The orbits, shaped like figure eights, allow the satellites to appear higher in the sky than XM’s, cutting down on the potential for a listener to be out of range of a satellite signal -- and allowing Sirius to have a much smaller number of repeaters.
Sirius’ repeater network also avoids the need for specialized antennas that can track the company’s non-geostationary satellites as they move about the sky, Sirius feeds its repeaters using capacity on a geostationary satellite leased from a traditional satellite operator. Listeners can’t tell that the signals they receive via the repeaters do not travel over Sirius’ fleet of satellites.
The Sirius satellites each spend about 16 hours over the United States, then whip around the other side of the Earth and return eight hours later for another stint hovering over Sirius’ listening area, according to Ted Hessler, the company’s vice president of space segment and enterprise operations.
RE: Sirius orbital path
When I first began to search for what you gave me, I wanted to know if I would be able to get reception deep into Mexico. I have been twice, going several hundred miles into Mexico each time, and except for mountain blockage, the reception was fine.
Seems they switch the satellites on far enough south, so that it was not a problem.
Love my Sirius.
rmw
RE: Sirius orbital path
RE: Sirius orbital path