Orbiter Realism

[Mission_CDR]

How realistic is orbiter exactly? I know that it isnt un-realistic but how realistic is it?

 

[MJR]

It uses real physics. You do real procedures for certain add-ons. There is plenty more.

 

[Missioncmdr]

Orbiter does use Newtonian physics which are technically wrong, but works for most practical purposes.

 

[ryan]

Dont diss Newtons law! I obey those laws ''that which rest, usually stays at rest'' that law i obey to the bone.

 

[Missioncmdr]

What I was trying to say is the Orbiter does not take into account relativistic effects. Which means that you can fly faster than the speed of light.

 

[Scrooge McDuck]

If also you mean to ask what the known limitations are, quoting from Martin's presentation at the ESA ATT workshop:

• Stability of time propagation: numerical accuracy limited by frame refresh rate (physics engine and graphics subsystem competing for clock cycles)
• Flight model: no native support yet for radiation pressure, micro-drag at high altitude. Simple rigid-body model (no native support for tethers, internal mass distribution changes ...)
• Simple atmospheric flight model
• No collision detection
• No damage modelling
• (added: ) No Relativistic effects..

However I think that some of these points are outdated with the latest public version, like there are some damage settings, and I think the time propagation can be changed to fixed, in the 'Extra' tab on the launchpad, so you can get more accuracy...

Still there are lots of things that you can simulate fairly accurate in Orbiter, but in general, I think you can state that the realism depends a lot on how advanced the vessel/addon/plugin is made.

Anyhow, the presentations will give you a nice brief view of what Orbiter can do:
http://download.orbit.m6.net/news/orbiter2006.pdf and
http://download.orbit.m6.net/news/orbiter.pdf

regards,
mcduck

 

[Bullethead]

IMHO the physics are realistic enough to convince me, even if some fiddly details aren't included. How much difference can they really make in the big picture?

Problem is, because the physics are pretty realistic, you quickly find out that spaceflight takes lots of time and fuel. So if you just want to cruise the solar system (as opposed to doing historical, current, or very near-future simulations), you need a rather unrealistic ship. Fortunately, such things are readily available (Orbiter comes with some), and if all you want to do is see Jupiter close up, you're not concerned about the ship's details.

 

[computerex]

There are a lot of things orbiter is bad at simulating, and lots of things it's good at. But it's API more then makes up for that. There are plenty of plug-ins out there to increase realism, and if someone comes along with enough talent, we just might get accurate atmospheric modeling as well.

 

[igel]

One thing in Orbiter that is fantastically realistic is the historical positions of the planets, Earth and Moon. To me, this became evident when I was developing historical scenarios for the new Molniya/Luna-9 and Luna-10 addons. The timing of the launches and the inclinations of the orbits had to be exactly perfect, exactly as they had been back in 60-es - otherwise there was absolutely no chance to meet the Moon in its interception point! I tried to test the launching times of other lunar attempts, mostly unsuccessful ones - and almost always it was impossible. For many failed missions, there is no accurate data available of the exact launch time (to the minute), and some early missions probably used different inclinations. And my launches just went nowhere! Going further, it will now be possible, with the help of Orbiter, to fill the voids and figure out these missing figures in space history stats. Or, in some cases, different sources gave different launch times. In Orbiter, it was just a matter of couple of several minutes to try them all and see which one (if any) is correct! Fantastic accuracy!

 

[flytandem]

What I was trying to say is the Orbiter does not take into account relativistic effects. Which means that you can fly faster than the speed of light.

You mean I have been zipping back and forth between Mercury and Neptune for the last 3 pr 4 years and I'm still aging?:huh: I don't care what you say, for me flying in Orbiter still makes me feel like a kid again.

 

[computerex]

I don't care what you say, for me flying in Orbiter still makes me feel like a kid again.

Eh, a very very smart kid

 

[Agent0ne]

Virtual Piloting is a great and fantastic reality,

There are 2 kinds of "users" tho:

1- Those who just wanna find the cracks and whats wrong in the program, making a point in arguing about each and every little imperfections... To them, I do ask to create at least something equivalent to Microsoft Flight Simulator or to Orbiter before criticizing negatively, positive suggestions are other things...

2- Those who take it seriously and who make a point in respecting the simularor, they read the real courses and ratings, they study logs and flight data, they get procedures and take pride in following them, because what they like is PILOTING !

The thing is, Virtual Piloting happens in a "different" world, a "new" environment that resembles the reality so closely, one has to accept the slight differences as part of this new environment...


My Virtual Piloting career take place in a foreign solar system, it has developped itself in this "concept", hence allowing slight differences to have their "meaning" or reasons to be...

Virtual Piloting brings so much; patience, organization, thinking in advance, the habit to plan things, control of stress and/or anxiety, accuracy and presicion, pride and self-esteem also...


One has to find his personal vision and understand the reasons to his virtual flights...

Ag1

 

[jedidia]

say, I just wondered... does Orbiter simulate the Oberth effect?

 

[Scarecrow]

say, I just wondered... does Orbiter simulate the Oberth effect?

Yes it does, since the Oberth effect is a result of the orbital mechanics that orbiter simulates.

 

[Mission_CDR]

Dont diss Newtons law! I obey those laws ''that which rest, usually stays at rest'' that law i obey to the bone.

What is the punishment for breaking his laws? I can't go to jail for it, can I?

 

[adamb193]

What is the punishment for breaking his laws? I can't go to jail for it, can I?

No you just cease to be, or win the Nobel Peace Prize.

 

[n0mad23]

I believe Orbiter also has the limitation of only dealing with 3 planetary bodies.

For the simulations we do, it's not a big deal, but Jupiter does really have more gravitational pull on bodies far away than most people realize.

 

[ryan]

I wish the gravational pull on orbiter was like when you go to Mars you get slowly sucked in, but when you go to Jupiter you get sucked in faster.

 

[jedidia]

Yes it does, since the Oberth effect is a result of the orbital mechanics that orbiter simulates.

cool!