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Orbit3D Applet by Mark Kahrl
- Launch new satellites using the control panel.
- Navigate by using right-mouse drag, ctrl-right-mouse-drag,
shift-ctrl-right-mouse-drag.
- This simulation accurately models the trajectories of earth orbiting
satellites based on the user provided initial conditions.
- The left window is a camera on the satellite, the right one is a
fixed orbit camera.
- The orbital 'two-body' problem is solved by a finite difference
solution to the kinematic equations with angular monentum
conservation. The geometry of each orbit and an angle-radius
relationship is established by solving the Keplerian equations,
this angle-radius relationship is applied at each time step, this
effectively removes numerical error caused by the non-linearity of the
kinematic equations in the radial direction.
Links and References:
Sun Java3D page:
http://java.sun.com/products/java-media/3D/
Java3D User Interface Info:
http://www.manning.com/barrilleaux
Orbital Mechanics:
'Fundamentals of Astrodynamics'; Roger Bate, Donald Mueller, Jerry
White; Dover Publications, NY, 1971.