Orbit Properties

Name of the orbit, but typically, name of the Satellite that will follow the orbit.

Cannot be changed for TLE orbit (change the first line and update to do so).

 

If checked, the orbit will always be displayed on the map and globe.

If unchecked, will be displayed only when selected (or attached satellite selected).

 

Use to replace the current orbit with an exported one stored in /Data/Shared

 

Store the current orbit into a file in /Data/Shared for exchange or later reuse.

 

It is the radius of an orbit at the orbit's two most distant points.

For the special case of a circle, the semi major axis is the radius. One can think of the semi major axis as an ellipse's long radius.

 

A measure of how elongated the orbit is.

A circle has an eccentricity of 0.

An ellipse has eccentricity between 0 and 1.

A parabola has an eccentricity of 1.

A hyperbola has an eccentricity greater than 1.

 

The angle between this orbital plane and a reference plane.

 

Argument of Perigee. The angle from the ascending node to the pericenter (perigee), measured in the plane of the orbit

 

Right Ascension of the Longitude Node. Angle from the origin of longitude of the reference plane to the orbit's ascending node: the point in its orbit where the orbiting body crosses the reference plane going "upward" or "northward". The time of this crossing is often used as the "elements' epoch"

 

The location of the body in the orbit: the product of mean motion and time since pericenter passage.

(ie., the mean anomaly is 0.0 when the orbiting body is at pericenter)

 

Select with the mouse on of the six orbital elements and move the slider to change the value.

Immediate update on the map and the globe.

Can only be done for Keplerian orbits.

 

Select how many earth revolutions the orbit must be computed and displayed.

 

Specify where should be located the satellite, at current Epoch, regarding the number of revolutions computed and displayed of the orbit.

Centered: orbit path will be equal future and past Epoch.

At 1/3: before Epoch and 2/3 after Epoch

At Start: orbit will be displayed from Epoch

At End: orbit will be displayed until Epoch.