Chaos in Non-Linear Planar Oscillation of a Satellite in an Elliptic Orbit under the Influence of Aerodynamic Torque

This article deals with the non-linear oscillation of a satellite in an elliptic orbit around the Earth under the influence of aerodynamic torque. It is assumed that the orbital plane of the satellite coincides with the equatorial plane of the Earth. The half width of the chaotic separatrix has been estimated by Chirikov criterion. Through surface of section method, it has been observed that the aerodynamic torque parameter (ε), the eccentricity of the orbit (e) and the mass ratio (ω₀) play an important role in changing the regular motion into the chaotic one. We studied the behaviour of trajectories due to change in parameters with Lyapunov exponents and time series plots. The theory is applied to Resourcesatl an artificial satellite of the Earth.