Glossary
- apogee
- The point in outer space where an object traveling around the earth (such as a
satellite or the moon) is farthest away from the earth.
- argument of perigee
- The argument of perigee is one of the orbital elements of an orbiting body. It’s the angle
between the orbit’s periapsis (the point of closest approach to the central point) and the
orbit’s ascending node (the point where the body crosses the plane of reference from South
to North). The angle is measured in the orbital plane and in the direction of motion.
Perigee refers to Earth-centered orbits.
- arg. perigee
- Shortened form for argument of perigee.
- CADRE
- Cubesat investigating Atmospheric Density Response to Extreme driving (CADRE) is a mission
funded by the National Science Foundation to study the response of the thermosphere to
auroral energy inputs.
- inclination
- See orbital inclination below.
- MDP
- Multiple Design Point(s)
- orbital inclination
- The inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of
a celestial orbit. It is the angular distance of the orbital plane from the plane of
reference (usually the primary’s equator or the ecliptic), normally stated in degrees.
- perigee
- The point in outer space where an object traveling around the earth (such as a satellite or
the moon) is closest to the earth.
- quaternion
- Any of a set of numbers that comprise a four-dimensional vector space with a basis
consisting of the real number 1 and three imaginary units i, j, k, that follow special
rules of multiplication and that are used to rotate objects in three dimensions.
- RAAN
- Right Ascension of the Ascending Node, one of six orbital elements that define the
trajectory of an orbiting body. It’s the angle in the equatorial plane between the direction
to the vernal equinox and the direction to the ascending node, measured counter clockwise
when viewed from the north side of the equatorial plane.
- thermosphere
- The outermost shell of the atmosphere, between the mesosphere and outer space, where
temperatures increase steadily with altitude.