Moon and sun perturbations effects on the orbital elements of earth satellites orbits

Abstract EN

The effect of the third object on satellites was studied using the program of ce-lestial mechanics which depends on the calculation of the effect of the moon andsun disturbance by solving the equations by numerical integrations.

The influence of the third body (sun and moon) is mainly on satellites with me-dium and high orbits where their effect is attractive, so their effect appears in theform of periodic and secular effects, as is the case with the central body.

The study analysis the resulting changes in the orbital elements of the satelliteby the influence of the sun and the moon and found that their effect on the ele-ments of the semi major axis and eccentricity are periodic while secular perturba-tion dominated on the node and the argument of perigee, the effect of the moonis greater than that produced by sun on the satellites due to the closer distance ofthe moon.