Prediction of trajectories in the Earth's gravitational field with axial symmetry using KS uniform regular elements (Q1312116)

A motion prediction algorithm based on the Kustaanheimo-Stiefel (KS) regular elements is developed for the motion in the Earth's gravitational field with axial symmetry. The algorithm is of recursive nature and general in the sense that it could be applied for any conic motion whatever the number of zonal harmonic coefficients \(N\geq 2\) may be. Applications of the algorithm for the problem of the final state prediction are illustrated by numerical examples of eight typical ballistic missiles for geopotential model with zonal harmonic terms up to \(J_{36}\).