Choose Your Own Adventure: Firefighting from Space - Part I
🚀 From Idea to Orbit: Designing Your First CubeSat Mission
With the foundation set, the exciting part begins! I want to make this learning experience not just informative but also engaging. That's why I’m experimenting with storytelling as a way to teach satellite design. Let’s dive into the first adventure!
🔥 Wildfires are becoming more frequent, and real-time satellite data is crucial for monitoring and response. What if you could design a Cubesat mission to track fires in your region? Let’s go step by step!
Step 1: Look Up for Inspiration
Before launching a new satellite, it’s wise to understand what’s already in orbit. The best way to start? Go outside, look up, and hunt for satellites!
🔗 Use this tool: James Darpinian's Satellite Tracker
✅ How to Use It:
Open the website and allow location access.
View upcoming satellite passes over your location.
Identify the satellites you see and explore their missions.
Step 2: Explore What’s Already in Space
Now that you've seen satellites with your own eyes, let’s explore what else is up there! A great tool to visualize Earth’s satellite population is:
🌍 This tool gives you a real-time, interactive 3D map of satellites orbiting Earth, helping you realize how much human-made technology is floating above us!
📖 If you want to learn more about different types of orbits, check out: ESA's Guide to Orbit Types
Ready to design your own satellite’s orbit? Jump to Step 3!
Step 3: Design the Orbit for Your Satellite
We’ll use JSatTrak to create a custom orbit, understand key orbital parameters, and select the best path for wildfire monitoring.
🛰️ Understanding Orbital Parameters
To define an orbit, we use Keplerian elements, which describe the satellite's shape, orientation, and position:
Semi-major Axis (a): Determines altitude.
Eccentricity (e): Orbit shape (0 = circle, closer to 1 = elliptical).
Inclination (i): Tilt relative to Earth’s equator.
Right Ascension of Ascending Node (RAAN): Where the satellite crosses the equator moving north.
Argument of Perigee (ω): Defines where the closest approach occurs.
Mean Anomaly (M): Position of the satellite at a given time.
Epoch: Reference time for these parameters.
📖 For a deeper dive, visit: AMSAT’s Keplerian Elements Tutorial
🛠️ Designing an Orbit in JSatTrak
🔗 Download JSatTrak: (https://www.gano.name/shawn/JSatTrak/)
Open JSatTrak and add your custom satellite.
Add a new custom satellite
2. Define a name for your satellite.
3. Edit Initial Conditions: Select Keplerian Elements as the input type and Enter the orbital parameters based on your mission needs.Enter the orbital parameters based on your mission needs.
Edit the initial conditions
4. Propagate the mission: Experiment and find an orbit that maximizes fire monitoring in your region!
Propagate your orbit and have fun!
🚀 Example Orbits to Start Playing With
LEO (Low Earth Orbit) - Earth Observation
Altitude: 500 km (Semi-major axis: 6871 km)
Eccentricity: 0 (circular orbit)
Inclination: 97.8° (Sun-synchronous)
Period: ~94.6 minutes
MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) - GPS Satellites
Altitude: ~20,200 km (Semi-major axis: 26,560 km)
Eccentricity: 0.01 (slightly elliptical)
Inclination: 55°
Period: ~12 hours
GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) - Communication Satellites
Altitude: 35,786 km (Semi-major axis: 42,164 km)
Eccentricity: 0 (circular orbit)
Inclination: 0° (equatorial orbit)
Period: 23 hours, 56 minutes (matches Earth’s rotation)
📡 Extra Fun Activities
In View > Satellite List, select a satellite and track it.
Add ground stations to see how often you can communicate with your satellite.
Use the Pass Predictions tool to calculate when the satellite will pass overhead.
🔍 Next Steps
🚀 Congratulations! You just designed your first satellite orbit! There’s still so much more to explore—different sensors, power systems, and satellite bus designs. See you in the next adventure!
