Interactive orbital geometry explorer and teaching tool
Orbit Architect is an interactive visualization of a satellite orbiting the Earth. A powerful teaching tool for aerospace engineering students, Orbit Architect allows you to interact with the six classical Keplerian orbital elements and immediately see the effect on the size, shape, and orientation of the orbit.
Orbital Mechanics
Orbital Mechanics, or astrodynamics, is the study of how things move in space.
The motion of objects, including planets, moons, and satellites, is determined by Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation, Newton’s Laws of Motion, and Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion. The FreeFlyer University Guide is an excellent resource for learning more about orbital mechanics, complete with hands-on modeling and simulation exercises.
A simple model of orbital motion is provided in Orbit Architect. For more accurate force representation as well as additional modeling and simulation tools, please try out our professional astrodynamics modeling tool for space mission design, analysis, and operations: FreeFlyer.
FreeFlyer blends spaceflight heritage, professional support, and high levels of customizability to provide the highest value astrodynamics software tool available today. FreeFlyer is free for university use and is available for a lower price than competitors for professional use.
Get hands-on with orbital elements
Use Orbit Architect to develop your intuition about the six Keplerian orbital elements: semi-major axis, eccentricity, inclination, right ascension of the ascending node (RAAN), argument of perigee, and true anomaly. Orbit Architect annotates the visualization by highlighting the corresponding angle or distance as you manipulate each orbital parameter. You can also explore common orbit types including geosynchronous and Molniya.
Orbit Architect’s ground track display shows the pattern on the ground where the satellite flies directly overhead as the Earth rotates under it. The heads-up display shows derived orbital parameters including period, orbital speed, apogee height, and perigee height. The playback controls let you select the starting date and the animation speed.
Also available on iPad
Orbit Architect for iPad allows you to interactively design and explore satellite orbital geometry through the iPad’s multi-touch interface. You can manipulate a satellite orbit using pinch and rotate multi-touch gestures, see the effects on the orbit and its ground track in real-time, and animate the results. As you change the orbit, dynamic diagrams will illuminate the meaning of each orbital parameter.
Support
For any issues with Orbit Architect software or guidance on its use, contact our dedicated support team at support@orbit-architect.ai-solutions.com. We’re here to help you navigate and resolve any challenges quickly.
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