Simulation of Access, Coverage, and Orbital Decay for an Optical Micro-Satellite for Colombia

The selection of the operational orbit is a critical component for the success of satellite missions, as it must meet specific user requirements, payload constraints, and communication needs. This paper comprehensively analyzes the criteria and parameters used to determine the best orbit for satellite missions, focusing on design variables derived from mission requirements and technical constraints. Several fundamental aspects are evaluated, such as coverage of areas of interest, access times to ground stations, revisit times, and satellite lifespan in orbit through simulations of orbital scenarios, the results show that orbits with inclinations of 16° provide an optimal balance between coverage and revisit times, maximizing operational efficiency over Colombian territory. Satellite constellations are also analyzed, highlighting specific combinations that improve coverage and access times, furthermore, the analysis of orbital decay and lifespan in orbit confirms that the selected orbits comply with international collision risk mitigation standards. This article offers a guide for orbit selection in satellite missions, emphasizing in a Low-Earth Orbit mission, ensuring operational benefits and risks minimization.