Help / KnownX MPT / Tutorials
Fly your first orbit
Launch a ready-made scenario and see the physics models at work. About ten minutes.
Before you start
KnownX MPT is installed and activated. See Install and activate.
Steps
- In the Mission Launcher, choose the earth-orbit template and launch it. It places a spacecraft in a 600 km circular orbit inclined at 51.6°, with J2 and drag switched on.
- Press P to start time, then = a few times to speed it up.
- In the Universe Explorer, select the spacecraft. Its altitude and velocity appear in the Inspector.
- Press J to switch the zonal terms off. The run restarts from the same initial state. Let it run, then press J again and compare: with the terms on, the orbital plane turns slowly; with them off, it stays fixed.
- In the Inspector, switch Atmosphere off and on to see the effect of drag. The Aerodynamics section shows the drag force as it acts.
- Press T to light the engine for a few seconds, then V to show the new predicted path on the Trajectory Map.