Understanding the Historical Pattern of Reentered Artificial Space Objects
Fazira Azzahra Huwaidaa(a), Abdul Rachman(b)

(a) Atmospheric and Planetary Science Program, Sumatra Institute of Technology, South Lampung, Indonesia
(b) Research Center for Space, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia

Abstract

Solar activity primarily affects atmospheric density especially in the thermosphere. An increase in the solar activity will cause orbiting satellites in the region experience an increase in the atmospheric density. This will enhance the level of atmospheric drag on the satellites which accelerate their decay rate. Therefore, superficially people will assume that solar activity with its eleven-year periodicity will correlate positively strong with the historical number of reentered artificial space objects. However, in this paper we explain that this is not the case. We also explain how the number of newly added objects in the low Earth orbit plays a significant role in affecting the historical pattern of reentered artificial space objects.

Keywords: Solar activity, artificial space objects, orbital decay

Topic: EARTH, ATMOSPHERIC, AND SPACE SCIENCE