Systems Tool Kit (STK) is an orbital mechanics software used by UW Orbital for ADCS simulations, comms simulations, and more. The following document describes how you can gain access to a team license.
One of the central components of orbital mechanics and orbital mechanics simulations are the six Keplerian Elements of an orbit.
How elliptical is the orbit?
If e = 0, the orbit is a perfect circle. If e = 1, the orbit is an infinite parabola.
EQN: e = c/a
Note: here the center body (Earth in our case) will always be a focus, either F1 or F2.
The plane which contains the Equator is called the Equatorial plane. The orbit plane is the plane that contains the orbit of our satellite.
The angle between these two planes is the inclination angle. If i< 90 degrees, it a prograde/direct orbit. If i > 90 degrees, it is a retrograde orbit/indirect orbit. If i = 90 degrees, it is a polar orbit.
Note that the satellite passes through the equatorial plane twice in each orbit.
