Help / KnownX MPT / Tutorials

Check against a real satellite

Import the published elements of a real satellite and compare KnownX with SGP4. About ten minutes.

Steps

1. In the Mission Launcher, open the Validation Center.
2. Choose Import TLE… and pick a file. Samples are in the data\tle folder next to the application: one for the ISS and a multi-year history for Zarya.
3. For a single element set, run Benchmark vs SGP4. KnownX and SGP4 propagate the same satellite for 72 hours. The radial, in-track and cross-track differences are tabulated and charted.
4. For an element history, run Forward Prediction. The history is first checked for manoeuvres. KnownX then predicts ahead and is scored against the later published elements.
5. Choose Export Report CSV to save the result.

Each report lists the conditions it applies to beside the numbers. Read them before quoting a result.

Reading the result

A difference that is mostly in-track and grows with time means the two propagations follow nearly the same path, slightly out of step. See the technical note on propagation accuracy for how to interpret these reports and for the results KNOWN has recorded.

What you used

• Validation Center