Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Types of Global Positioning System Surveys01:30

Types of Global Positioning System Surveys

263
GPS surveying methods vary in application, accuracy, and data collection techniques, catering to diverse surveying and mapping needs. Static GPS, kinematic GPS, and real-time kinematic (RTK) surveying are widely used. Each technique offers distinct advantages.Static GPS involves placing one receiver at a known reference point and another at the target point. It collects exact positional data by observing multiple satellite ranges over an extended period, achieving centimeter-level accuracy for...
263
Introduction to Global Positioning System01:30

Introduction to Global Positioning System

355
The Global Positioning System (GPS) revolutionized positioning on Earth, providing precise location data through satellite ranging. The GPS system was developed in 1978 by the U.S. Department of Defense  for military use, and it became available for civilian applications in 1983, transforming fields including navigation, fleet management, and time synchronization for telecommunications systems.GPS consists of satellites in medium Earth orbit, about 20,200 kilometers above the surface,...
355
Energy of a Satellite in a Circular Orbit01:11

Energy of a Satellite in a Circular Orbit

2.9K
Thousands of artificial satellites orbit the Earth every day at various distances from the Earth. Satellites that orbit the Earth below an altitude of 1,600 km are considered to be orbiting in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Research satellites and Earth observation satellites are usually placed in LEO, and mostly orbit the Earth in elliptical orbits. Navigation satellites are placed in medium-Earth orbit (MEO), ranging from 2,000 km to 36,000 km from the surface of the Earth. Meanwhile, communication...
2.9K
Circular Orbits and Critical Velocity for Satellites01:16

Circular Orbits and Critical Velocity for Satellites

5.4K
The Moon orbits around the Earth. In turn, the Earth (and other planets) orbit the Sun. The space directly above our atmosphere is filled with artificial satellites in orbit. One can examine the circular orbit, the simplest kind of orbit, to understand the relationship between the speed and the period of planets and satellites with respect to their positions and the bodies that they orbit.
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) first suggested that the Earth and all other planets orbit the Sun in...
5.4K
Field Application of Global Positioning System01:28

Field Application of Global Positioning System

250
The Global Positioning System (GPS) has become an indispensable tool in fieldwork, offering unparalleled precision and efficiency for surveying, navigation, and infrastructure development. By harnessing signals from a constellation of satellites, GPS receivers determine the location of objects with remarkable speed and accuracy, often completing calculations within a second.Advantages of Modern GPS TechnologyContemporary GPS receivers are designed to meet the practical demands of field...
250
Errors in Global Positioning System01:26

Errors in Global Positioning System

269
Global Positioning System (GPS) technology has revolutionized navigation and positioning, but its accuracy is often compromised by various errors. These errors, stemming from environmental, satellite, and receiver-related factors, require careful mitigation to ensure reliable performance across applications.Atmospheric ErrorsGPS signals travel through the Earth’s ionosphere and troposphere, introducing delays which affect accuracy. The ionosphere is strongly influenced by charged particles,...
269

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Impact of hydropower availability on resource adequacy of the United States western interconnection.

PloS one·2026
Same author

Resilient water infrastructure partnerships in institutionally complex systems face challenging supply and financial risk tradeoffs.

Nature communications·2024
Same author

Research to Confront Climate Change Complexity: Intersectionality, Integration, and Innovative Governance.

Earth's future·2024
Same author

Evaluating the economic impact of water scarcity in a changing world.

Nature communications·2021
Same author

Water rights shape crop yield and revenue volatility tradeoffs for adaptation in snow dependent systems.

Nature communications·2020

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 31, 2025

Simulating Imaging of Large Scale Radio Arrays on the Lunar Surface
06:14

Simulating Imaging of Large Scale Radio Arrays on the Lunar Surface

Published on: July 30, 2020

5.3K

Low cost satellite constellations for nearly continuous global coverage.

Lake A Singh1, William R Whittecar2, Marc D DiPrinzio3

  • 1GEOINT Innovations Office, The Aerospace Corporation, Chantilly, VA, 20151, USA. lake.a.singh@aero.org.

Nature Communications
|January 12, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Discovering new satellite constellations with 24- and 48-hour periods offers nearly continuous global coverage. These innovative designs harness orbital forces to significantly cut costs and extend satellite lifespan.

More Related Videos

Visualization of Low-Level Gamma Radiation Sources Using a Low-Cost, High-Sensitivity, Omnidirectional Compton Camera
06:28

Visualization of Low-Level Gamma Radiation Sources Using a Low-Cost, High-Sensitivity, Omnidirectional Compton Camera

Published on: January 30, 2020

13.1K
Harmonic Radar Tags for Insect Tracking: Lightweight, Low-cost, and Accessible
14:44

Harmonic Radar Tags for Insect Tracking: Lightweight, Low-cost, and Accessible

Published on: May 13, 2025

2.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 31, 2025

Simulating Imaging of Large Scale Radio Arrays on the Lunar Surface
06:14

Simulating Imaging of Large Scale Radio Arrays on the Lunar Surface

Published on: July 30, 2020

5.3K
Visualization of Low-Level Gamma Radiation Sources Using a Low-Cost, High-Sensitivity, Omnidirectional Compton Camera
06:28

Visualization of Low-Level Gamma Radiation Sources Using a Low-Cost, High-Sensitivity, Omnidirectional Compton Camera

Published on: January 30, 2020

13.1K
Harmonic Radar Tags for Insect Tracking: Lightweight, Low-cost, and Accessible
14:44

Harmonic Radar Tags for Insect Tracking: Lightweight, Low-cost, and Accessible

Published on: May 13, 2025

2.0K

Area of Science:

  • Space Science
  • Orbital Mechanics
  • Satellite Engineering

Background:

  • Satellite services are crucial for the global economy, balancing coverage and cost.
  • Current satellite designs face limitations in achieving continuous global coverage efficiently.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discover novel satellite constellations offering near-continuous global coverage.
  • To explore cost-reduction strategies for satellite operations through orbital dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated two alternative 4-satellite constellations with 24- and 48-hour periods.
  • Analyzed the utilization of nonlinear orbital perturbation forces (geopotential, solar/lunar gravity, solar radiation pressure).
  • Assessed trade-offs between global coverage and operational costs.

Main Results:

  • Achieved nearly continuous global coverage with both 4-satellite constellations.
  • Demonstrated significant propellant and maintenance cost reductions by harnessing perturbation forces.
  • Identified that minor coverage sacrifices at specific longitudes enable viable, lower-cost operations.

Conclusions:

  • The 24-hour period constellation offers approximately 60% propellant mass savings versus geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) constellations.
  • Reduced mass-to-orbit costs allow for less expensive launch vehicles and enhanced mission capabilities.
  • These findings enable longer satellite design life and improved mission value.