Elliptic Orbit - Flight Path Angle

Flight Path Angle

The flight path angle is the angle between the orbiting body's velocity vector (= the vector tangent to the instantaneous orbit) and the local horizontal. Under standard assumptions the flight path angle satisfies the equation:

where:

  • is the specific relative angular momentum of the orbit,
  • is orbital speed of orbiting body,
  • is radial distance of orbiting body from central body,
  • is the flight path angle

Read more about this topic:  Elliptic Orbit

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    —N. Scott Momaday (b. 1934)