[Question] Current ISS orbit into scenario

[ghrasko]

Hi,

I would like to fly the DeltaGlider to the ISS in approximatelly current time. For that I should create a scenario with the current orbital elements of the ISS. There are several sites providing information on the satellites orbital elements, but it is not at all obvious, how I should transfer those data into the scenery file either directly with a text editor or via the Scenario Editor.

Example sites with satellite info:

• NORAD satellite data
• ISS Detailed data

I am using both Orbiter 2010 and 2016.

Do you have any guidelines or tools how to make the conversions?

(I found the same question in the forum in some copies, but they rather old with outdated linkes and also had not outlined a complete solution)

Gábor

[DaveS]

You can use this: https://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2617

It's a bit on the old side but still works great with the 2016 version of Orbiter.

[boogabooga]

I've been using the add-on that DaveS posted above for years, and I know that it works well with the NORAD TLEs because I have used it to successfully predict ISS passes over my real-world location.

See this thread for help, especially post 27
https://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=35755

[ghrasko]

Thanks, working great!

REFRESHING SATELLITE DATA IN ORBITER 2016

Steps:

1. Download the Scenery Editor TLE from here
2. Copy the DLL into the Moduules\Plugin directory
3. Run Orbiter2016 with the scenario with ISS
4. Open the satellite data page
5. Copy the 3 lines from ISS to an entry ASCII file and save it on your hard drive
6. Open "Scenario Editor TLE" from Functions menu
7. Select ISS and Edit
8. Select "State vectors" = "Ref. equator (fixed)"
9. Select Load TLE and select the prepared file with ISS data
10. On the "Load successful!" dialog write down the Scenario MJD with decimals and press OK (the dialog box closes)
11. Press "Apply" and "<<Done" and "<<Done" again
12. Select "Date"
13. Enter the recorded MJD to the "Modified Julian Date (MJD)" field
14. Press "Apply" and "<<Done"
15. Press "Close" or save with a new name

Whenever you would like to get fresh satellite (ISS) orbital data, repeate the steps 3-15. It is ot as difficult as it seams. It is about 2 minutes work.

Of course one could refresh other satellite orbital data as well if that exists in his Orbiter scenario (TIangong 1 and 2 for example).

Gábor

[ghrasko]

One more step...

When starting playing, you might open the Ecenario Editor TLE again and press "Date", "Now", "<<Done" and "Close". This will put you in real time. If the ISS data is fresh enough, it will be positioned correctly. Check it with any ISS tracker map as for example with this.