A New Siteplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigA New Site
Yup, the old site was as ugly as sin and to find a blog entry you had to scroll through the feed or take your chances with the search option.
This new site is just as easy to maintain, has extensive search capabilities, and both orders and structures the entries. Not only does this make it easier for you to find stuff, it encourages you to browse around. It's not as ugly either.
I've been asked how Orbital Calculator can calculate the distance an object is from a gravitational mass, using just its period (the time it takes to complete an orbit). The technique is relatively simple, so I'll explain it.
Getting To Marsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGetting To Mars
[Mars] Edit: updated to include
There are multiple ways to get to Mars, and each has pros and cons. The one thing they all have in common is orbital mechanics. Some options can get to Mars in a short period of time, while others could take up to a year. Some are better suited for robotic missions, others for crewed missions. This article takes a look at the problems of getting to Mars (and getting back) and what options are available.
A Keen Interest In Marsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigA Keen Interest In Mars
[MOLA globe of Mars]You may have noticed from pages such as the Mars Weather Report page, that I have a keen interest in Mars, Martian weather, and the InSight lander.
Mars itself, and the incredible science we are doing there is of course a fascination in and of itself. However, my interest goes deeper than that. My latest novel (at the time this article was written - March 2019) is about the exploration of Mars. NASA have provided a wealth of data and information for …
NASA Boarding Passplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigNASA Boarding Pass
I took the plunge and got my NASA boarding pass for the Mars 2020 Rover mission.
[NASA Boarding pass for Mars 2020 Mission]
Get yours here: NASA Website SEND YOUR NAME TO MARS
NASA recently won (14th-15th Sept 2019) two Emmy's for interactive content. Aside from the obvious achievements of winning the awards, there is something else going on here that should be recognised and encouraged. Awards, of course, are intended to recognise, encourage and promote excellence, but I'm talking about NASA not only reaching out to the public, but interactively engaging them.
Orbital Shenanigansplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOrbital Shenanigans
[MOLA map of Mars coloured by elevation]
Edited: 2019-03-14
Sometimes when you do some research – actually, quite often – you find out some really interesting stuff and end up changing your mind. In my story, I had some people on the ground on Mars, and wanted a spacecraft in a geostationary orbit above them to give them communications between them at all times. Just for info, when talking about geostationary orbits, the accepted term for Mars is aerostationary. I’ll use g…
You can now calculate distance from a gravitational mass using the orbital period. The image above shows a calculation for Mars which has a 687 day year.
I've allowed the use of tokens to identify time components to make it easy to use. The examples shown in the image should explain how it works.
This is my blog. It is an eclectic mix of book reviews by new and up-and-coming authors, articles, science news, random topic monologues and stuff about my software. Sometimes I talk about my fiction writing too.
startplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigI'm a novelist and have an interest in space science and physics. I've been a programmer for more than 30 years and I like reviewing new and up-and-coming authors.
If you want me to review your novel, please look at my Rules on Reviewing page.
Please consider registering (see top of page) to help support this site. Your personal data isn't shared with anyone, but it makes me feel good.
topbarplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_big* Home * ISS * Mars Weather * Downloads * Orbital Calculator * Cookie Policy & GDPR * Book Reviews * Contact
blog/articles/general/orbitalcalc_update_1005.txt · Last modified: 2019/03/06 10:37 by Phil Ide
ISSplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigInternational Space Station
This page has a portal through which you can view the current location of the International Space Station, updating in real-time. The tracker itself comes from the European Space Agency (ESA).
Part of the tool doesn't seem to be working properly yet, raising an error when the widget first loads. A possible explanation for the error is detailed below. There is also a handy link to get email notifications direct from NASA when the ISS is visible in your night sky.
Mars Weatherplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMars Weather Reports
These reports are provided by NASA's InSight lander in the south-west corner of Elysium Planitia. Daily readings are usually a couple of days behind reality.
Orbital Calculator Current Version This is a portable application, meaning there is no installer. Just unzip into a folder and run the executable. Since it is portable, it can be run from a USB stick.
A full description and a list of the features are available
Orbital Calculatorplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOrbital Calculator
I needed to calculate orbital characteristics for any orbit around any gravitational mass (because I write sci-fi stories), so I wrote this program because I'm a programmer and I'm too lazy to do it by hand all the time. The program has expanded over the last few years, sometimes from suggestions by other writers. I make it freely available and as simple to use as possible. It now has a list of functions as long as your arm (assuming you're not a tentacle user), and the numbe…
The Cookie policy is straightforward. This site only uses cookies that are required to make your experience of using this site better, and only uses session cookies (see exceptions below). Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser.
Book Reviewsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigBook Reviews
Here you can find all the book reviews, broken down by genre, and further subdivided by author. If you want me to review your novel, please read my Rules on Reviewing.