Spacecraft for Celestia: Thread 2

[DaveBowman2001]

Spacecraft add-on projects to be released between November and December 2024:

Advanced Composition Explorer
Also known as Explorer 71. Original add-on by gironde
Released: 2024-Nov-01, 05:11

ADM–Aeolus
A European Earth observations satellite from 2018 to 2023

Explorer 6
The satellite that took the first-ever photograph of Earth in orbit
Released: 2024-Nov-04, 08:26

Hera
The European follow-up mission to NASA's DART spacecraft
Released: 2024-Nov-10, 09:20

IMAGE
NASA mission that studied the magnetospheric interactions with the solar wind

LICIACube
CubeSat companion to NASA's DART spacecraft

Meteosat-8 to 11
Second generation of European weather satellites
Released: 2024-Nov-08, 14:26

Pegasus 1 to 3
The only non-Apollo spacecraft launched from a Saturn rocket
Released: 2024-Nov-18, 16:56

Proton 1 to 4
Heaviest scientific satellites ever launched into space

Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
A NASA Earth observations satellite deployed from STS-48 (Discovery)

[gironde]

after 1.5 year new launch for Oneweb (by SpaceX)

20/10/2024 23:31 n°020 - 20 Oneweb L20 international designator 2024-188

I have finded model Oneweb.cmod on https://celestia.mobi/?lang=en

Oneweb 20 modified.zip

(2.5 MiB) Downloaded 85 times

[gironde]

SpaceX Starlink: the last 3 launches published on celestrak.org:
15 oct. 2024 n° 197
15 oct. 2024 n° 198
18 oct. 2024 n° 199

Starlink 197-198-199.zip

(68.12 KiB) Downloaded 82 times

[DaveBowman2001]

Europa Clipper about to fly past Mars, 2025-Mar-01

Update to the Europa Clipper add-on. Updated XYZV trajectory now uses postlaunch state vectors from 14 October 2024 up to early 2026, to provide more accurate flybys of Mars and Earth during its cruise to Jupiter. Had to retain the prelaunch trajectory after the dates mentioned because JPL HORIZONS doesn't yet provide any postlaunch data for the Jupiter phases

Europa Clipper's interplanetary trajectory (2024–2030)

NOTE: Must download the Galilean Satellites (1995-2035) addon for more accurate moon flybys and prevent random collisions with them until the Ganymede impact on September 2034

Europa Clipper.zip

(8.35 MiB) Downloaded 52 times

[DaveBowman2001]

The Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), also known as Explorer 71, is a NASA mission to study matter comprising energetic particles from the solar wind, the interplanetary medium, and other sources. It was launched in August 1997 and reached the Sun-Earth Lagrange-1 point just four months later, where it remains in active operation to this day. It is expected to continue its mission until its propellant is completely exhausted by 2029

This serves as an update/replacement for the 2022 version of this add-on. CMOD model now successfully adapts the textures from NASA's Eyes of the Solar System website. XYZV trajectory data also extended until January 2025 (the current extent of data available from JPL HORIZONS as of this writing)

Advanced Composition Explorer (2024).zip

(2.33 MiB) Downloaded 44 times

[DaveBowman2001]

Explorer 6, also known as S-2, is an early NASA satellite that studied the space environment around Earth. Launched in August 1959, it took the very first photograph of Earth in orbit as an experiment that later led to the development of weather satellites. It remained operational until October 1959 and reentered the atmosphere by July 1961.

Orbital data retrieved from CelesTrak

Explorer 6.zip

(3.38 MiB) Downloaded 47 times

[DaveBowman2001]

The Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) were a fleet of four European weather satellites that were launched into geostationary orbit between 2002 and 2015. Each satellite is expected to carry out a 20-year mission monitoring the weather and climate throughout the Afro-Eurasian region until they are replaced with third generation starting with Meteosat-12

All satellites, except Meteosat-8, are still operational as of 2024. Reused the SSC files originally made by gironde for their orbital parameters.

Meteosat 8 to 11.zip

(921.6 KiB) Downloaded 42 times

[DaveBowman2001]

Currently making a rescaled version of Sputnik 1 at the request of Art Blos and the entire Celestia Origin team. To become available on their next major release

[DaveBowman2001]

Hera during its flyby of Mars and Deimos, 2025-Mar-12

Hera is a European spacecraft aimed to study the Didymos-Dimorphos system in the aftermath of NASA's DART mission in September 2022. Launched in 2024, it will reach the asteroids by December 2026, and hopefully measure the efficiency of the kinetic impact method for planetary defense

XYZV trajectory was retrieved from JPL HORIZONS. Take note that the Didymos phase of the mission is not yet simulated due to lack of publicly released data as of this writing

Hera.zip

(1.1 MiB) Downloaded 47 times

Spoiler

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
For all those who have asteroid catalogs installed (for example, Minor Planets: 101 to 200), find an entry in their SSC file named 103 Hera and add an (asteroid) tag on its alternate name to prevent any conflicts with this add-on

Example:

Code: Select all

"103 Hera:Hera (asteroid)"

[gironde]

EOLE was a Franco-American weather program (CNES and NASA). The first satellite EOLE 1 was preceded by the launch of a PEOLE test satellite
If EOLE 1 is still present in the CelesTrak catalog, I had to ask for the history of PEOLE.
I offer you here the ssc file for these 2 satellites.
As I did not find a 3D representation, I used a generic one resembling meteosat.cmod. The representation of the solar panels is still missing

R.jpg (13.9 KiB) Viewed 3012 times

octahedron 66 cm high and 70 cm in diameter. Eight solar panels composed of 5920 solar cells are fixed on the body of the satellite at an angle of 45° and 10m stabilization mast

EOLE FR2 (CNES-NASA).zip

(875.23 KiB) Downloaded 28 times

[gironde]

the last 7 Starlink launches published on celestrak :

23/10/2024 21:47 n°200 - 23 Starlink 06-61 2024-191
26/10/2024 21:47 n°201 - 22 Starlink 10-08 2024-193
30/10/2024 12:07 n°202 - 20 Starlink 09-09 2024-195
30/10/2024 21:10 n°203 - 23 Starlink 10-13 2024-196
07/11/2024 20:19 n°204 - 23 Starlink 06-77 2024-202
09/11/2024 06:14 n°205 - 20 Starlink 09-10 2024-204
11/11/2024 21:28 n°206 - 24 Starlink 06-69 2024-207

Starlink 200 to 206.zip

(79.65 KiB) Downloaded 28 times

[DaveBowman2001]

A Pegasus satellite, built from a spent Saturn I (S-IV) stage

NASA's Pegasus project are a trio of satellites designed to measure the frequency of micrometeoroid impacts on spacecraft in LEO. Operating between 1965 and 1968, these satellites provided valuable data in the space environment that helped in preparing Project Apollo's crewed missions to the Moon.

Orbital data for all three satellites were retrieved from CelesTrak. All satellites were no longer active and were deorbited since 1979.

Pegasus 1 to 3.zip

UPDATE: Ending/Reentry dates now enabled

(651.48 KiB) Downloaded 30 times

[DaveBowman2001]

UPDATE (241119):
Reposted the Pegasus add-on above as I forgot to enable the Ending dates of the satellites, which caused them to be accidentally viewed on the Present Day. The satellites now disappear from simulation after 1979

[gironde]

The type of 3D model with several cmod to represent a complete satellite
(1 main object class "spacecraft" and 1 second class "diffuse") does not adapt well
to the use of the parameter 'Visible false' or 'Visible true' because to see the object
in its entirety, you have to select the 2 components one after the other and apply
to each of them, the parameter 'Visible true'.

When the object is always visible (by default), the problem does not exist of course.

Is it possible to create models in a single cmod file when the Timeline allows it, that is to say
when the satellite does not transform during its mission? But maybe it is not possible.

[DaveBowman2001]

As I stated on this thread, the main goal of having a duplicate "diffuse" or "component" object to the original "spacecraft" is to simulate that specific spacecraft has become inactive as recorded in history. Unfortunately, the Timeline function only recognizes the only object that has that function written on its ssc file

In the case of Tesla Roadster and Mars 4, I have their roles reversed (i.e. the "diffuse/component" is the main object rather than the "spacecraft") for special reasons, i.e. they lost contact immediately and (in the case of Mars 4) became offline as they are passing through a planetary body. This was a suggestion to me by both SpaceExplorer and pedro_jg

[gironde]

DaveBowman2001,

While writing my post, I was thinking more about Hera, for example, for which you separated hera_body and hera_solar, the second as 'diffuse'
I would have preferred a single object combining body + solar panel to be able to manipulate a single object. The other cases which consist of making a satellite 'live' after their inactivity, are less restrictive.

I am always happy to see your new 3D achievements.



Added after 5 hours 6 minutes:
for our favorite 3D modelers

Here is some new information on the dimensions of the Starlink models

sources : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink

Tintin A et Tintin B (MicroSat-2a and MicroSat-2b) :
demonstration satellites
launcher Falcon 9

v0.9 (test)
launcher Falcon 9
Mass: 227 kg

v1.0 (opérationnel)
body length : 0.3m !!!
solar panel : 10m
launcher Falcon 9
Mass: 260 kg
STARLINK-1130 is called DarkSat and had its albedo reduced using a special coating
STARLINK-1436 (L7) test Visorsat, a visor to reduce the reflection of the Sun (used as standard from L9 to V1.5 Group 2-1)

v1.5 (operational)
Bus F9-1
body dim. : 2.8m x 1.3m
solar panel : 1 panel 8.1m x 2.8m
launcher Falcon 9
Mass: ~295 kg
The visors are removed in September 2021 (V1.5 Group 2-1)

v2.0 mini (operational)
Bus F9-2
body dim :4.1m x 2.70m
solar panel : 2 panels 12.80m x 4.1m
Mass: ~800 kg
launcher Falcon 9

v2.0 mini (operational) with DTC (direct-to-cellular capability)
Bus F9-3
body dim. : 7.4m x 2.7m
solar panel : 2 panels 12.80m x 4.1m
Mass: ~800 kg
launcher Falcon 9

v2.0 (planned)
Bus Starship-1 (V2)
body dim. : 6.4m x 2.7m
solar panel : 2 panels 20.2 x 6.36m
Mass: ~1250kg
launcher Starship

v2.0 (planned) with DTC (direct-to-cellular capability)
Bus Starship-2 (V2 DTC)
body dim. : 10.1mx2.7m
solar panel : 2 panels 20.2 x 6.36m
Mass: ~1250kg
launcher Starship

Starlink V1

Starlink V1.5

Starlink V2

[DaveBowman2001]

While writing my post, I was thinking more about Hera, for example, for which you separated hera_body and hera_solar, the second as 'diffuse'
I would have preferred a single object combining body + solar panel to be able to manipulate a single object.

Separating the components as different models is necessary, as Celestia doesn't allow animation of a subgroup of a single mesh file hence manipulating it is not possible. It is not even practical to retain the original "intact" model either as it would unnecessarily balloon up the file size more. I do wish there were some animation command present in Celestia, but since the software isn't really built as a flight simulator, I do understood why it wasn't implemented in the first place

A big shoutout to BrianJ and linuxman for discovering the method I now use in making parts of satellites more dynamic.

[Art Blos]

DaveBowman2001, have you forgotten about my request?

[Art Blos]

Can anyone fix model of the "Lunar Orbiter"? Either there aren't enough polygons, or it just needs some anti-aliasing. The squares spoil all appearance.