(TLE) Scenario Editor and the position of the ISS

[Hoggorm]

Regarding the TLE Scenario Editor:

On monday 18th of May I tried to change the date to 18 may and the clock to the actual UTC time. Then, in Orbiter, the ISS moved to cross the US on an easterly track. However the real ISS, according to NASA, was at the same time over South Africa on an north easterly track.

When I've used the TLE information to update the position of ISS in Orbiter, should it not appear at it's correct place in space (orbit)?

If not, how can I fix it so that it does?

Thanks,

 

[derekocon]

Shuttle - ISS accurate positions

Hoggorm,

You may have solved this problem already, but the best way I have found to set up accurate Shuttle - ISS missions is as follows:

If you want to rendezvous shuttle to ISS:

1. Copy a Shuttle scenario, then rename it
2. Work out the correct MJD date for the time you want to lift off
3. Copy this into your renamed scenario
4. Get the 'tle' elements from NASA or Norad, should look like this:

ISS (ZARYA)
1 25544U 98067A 09235.17052038 .00008320 00000-0 62084-4 0 4649
2 25544 51.6408 322.9840 0008924 7.9272 84.8206 15.73733402616505

---------- Post added at 09:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:39 PM ----------

Hoggorm,

You may have solved this problem already, but the best way I have found to set up accurate Shuttle - ISS missions is as follows:

If you want to rendezvous Shuttle to ISS:

1. Copy a Shuttle scenario, then rename it
2. Work out the correct MJD date for the time you want to lift off
3. Copy MJD date into your renamed scenario
4. Get the 'tle' elements from NASA or Norad, should look like this:

ISS (ZARYA)
1 25544U 98067A 09235.17052038 .00008320 00000-0 62084-4 0 4649
2 25544 51.6408 322.9840 0008924 7.9272 84.8206 15.73733402616505

5. Copy this into notepad, save as xyz.tle file
6. Use eq_to_ecl converter to create ELEMENTS, should look like this:

ISS (ZARYA)
ELEMENTS 6726389.80831685 0.00089240 35.06588437 304.74501772 337.31822738 62.13882738 55066.17052038

7. Copy this into your scenario, should look like this:

BEGIN_SHIPS
ISSrojectAlpha_ISS
STATUS Orbiting Earth
'RPOS 907911.53 -6455154.17 1638204.32
'RVEL -7503.950 -651.259 1611.900
'AROT 109.99 -9.94 80.00
ELEMENTS 6726389.80831685 0.00089240 35.06588437 304.74501772
337.31822738 62.13882738 55066.17052038
PRPLEVEL 0:1.000
IDS 0:1 100 1:2 100 2:3 100 3:4 100 4:5 100
NAVFREQ 0 0
XPDR 466
END

8. Save your scenario, then give it a try.

The time is crucial, make sure you allow for your time zone and any summer/winter corrections. I'm in the UK so if I want to take off at the same time as KSC USA, I have to add 5 hours, if winter, or 4 hours if summer

Hope this helps

 

[insanity]

Most of my scenarios involve using real-time iss positions synchronized with my computer clock. Using Launch MFD I'm able to find the correct time for a 42 degree launch. Scenario looks something like this:

BEGIN_DESC
ISS Real-time
END_DESC

BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT
  System Sol
END_ENVIRONMENT

BEGIN_FOCUS
  Ship ISS
END_FOCUS

BEGIN_CAMERA
  TARGET ISS
  MODE Extern
  POS 1.49 104.39 -47.79
  TRACKMODE TargetRelative
  FOV 50.00
END_CAMERA

BEGIN_PANEL
END_PANEL


BEGIN_SHIPS
ISS:ProjectAlpha_ISS
  STATUS Orbiting Earth
  ELEMENTS 6726948.44214954 0.00075860 35.49446721 56.85741741 340.55457247 74.06047247 55051.49202819
  AROT 30.00 -0.00 50.00
  IDS 0:588 100 1:586 100 2:584 100 3:582 100 4:580 100
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  XPDR 466
END

From that, I just add on bits and pieces from other scenarios to create the mission I want to fly. For instance, I could add on the following code to get SSU and the pads to appear:

MLP-2:Atlantis_MLP
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.6040620 28.608403
  HEADING 0.00
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  T0_UMB 0 0.0000
END
LCC:SSU_LCC
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.6040745 28.6083855
  HEADING 270.00
  LAUNCH_MJD 54785.038414 
  PAD_NAME LC39A
  SHUTTLE_NAME Endeavour
END
LC39A:SSU_Pad
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.6040720 28.6083850
  HEADING 270.00
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  ACCESS_ARM 1 1.0000
  GVA 1 1.0000
  VENTHOOD 1 1.0000
  GOX_SEQUENCE 2
END
Endeavour:SpaceShuttleUltra
  STATUS Landed Earth
  POS -80.6232502 28.608403
  HEADING 0.00
  ATTACHED 0:0,MLP-2
  PRPLEVEL 0:1.000 1:1.000 2:1.000 3:1.000 4:1.000 5:1.000 6:1.000 7:1.000 8:0.999 9:0.990 10:0.990 11:1.000
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  CONFIGURATION 0
  MET 0.000
  WING_NAME Endeavour
  RMS
  ODS
  MPM
  STBD_MPM 0 0.0000
  ARM_STATUS 0.500000 0.013600 0.014688 0.500000 0.500000 0.500000
  ROLLOUT  0 0.000000
  SHOULDER_BRACE 0.000
  MRL 1.000000 1.000000
  GRAPPLE 1 1.0000
  RIGIDIZE 1 1.0000
  EXTEND 1 1.0000
  SAT_OFS_X 0.000
  SAT_OFS_Y 0.000
  SAT_OFS_Z 0.000
  OPS 101
  AUTOPILOT 51.62000 80.500000 105000.000000 7607.601000 0.00000
  ASSIST 133.000000 298.000000
  THROTTLE_BUCKET 1789.0 2094.0 
  HEADS_UP 13214.0
  TGT_ID 2
  BODY_VECT 1
  ROLL 0.000
  PITCH 0.000
  YAW 0.000
  P 0.000
  Y 0.000
  OM -1.000
  GEAR 0 0.0000
  EE MODE 0
  CRT_SEL 1 1
  LPROBEARM 1
  LPROBE 2
  RPROBEARM 1
  RPROBE 2
  LOMS 1
  ROMS 1
  AIR_DATA_PROBES 0.000000 0.000000
  BOILERN2SPLY0 0
  BOILERN2SPLY1 0
  BOILERN2SPLY2 0
  BOILERCNTLR0 0
  BOILERCNTLR1 0
  BOILERCNTLR2 0
  BOILERHTR0 0
  BOILERHTR1 0
  BOILERHTR2 0
  APUFUTKVLV0 1
  APUFUTKVLV1 1
  APUFUTKVLV2 1
  APUCNTLRPWR0 1
  APUCNTLRPWR1 1
  APUCNTLRPWR2 1
  HYDCIRCPUMP0 1
  HYDCIRCPUMP1 1
  HYDCIRCPUMP2 1
  APUAUTOSHTDN 0
  APUSPDSEL0 1
  APUSPDSEL1 1
  APUSPDSEL2 1
  APUCNTRL0 1
  APUCNTRL1 1
  APUCNTRL2 1
  HYDMNPMPPRESS0 0
  HYDMNPMPPRESS1 0
  HYDMNPMPPRESS2 0
  MPSENGPWR00 1
  MPSENGPWR01 1
  MPSENGPWR02 1
  MPSENGPWR10 1
  MPSENGPWR11 1
  MPSENGPWR12 1
  HEISOLA0 0
  HEISOLA1 0
  HEISOLA2 0
  HEISOLB0 0
  HEISOLB1 0
  HEISOLB2 0
  APU0 0
  APU1 0
  APU2 0
  HYDRAULIC_PRESS0 0
  HYDRAULIC_PRESS1 0
  HYDRAULIC_PRESS2 0
  FUEL_PRESS0 0
  FUEL_PRESS1 0
  FUEL_PRESS2 0
  MPS0 1
  MPS1 1
  MPS2 1
  L_ET_UMB_DOOR 1.000
  R_ET_UMB_DOOR 1.000
  ET_DOOR_LATCHES 0.000000 1.000000 1.000000
  MTU_MET_RUNNING 0
  MTU_MET0 0.000
  MTU_MET1 0.000
  MTU_MET2 0.000
   EVENT_TIMER0 0.000000 DOWN STOPPED
   EVENT_TIMER1 0.000000 DOWN STOPPED
END
Ultra_OBSS:Spacecraft\Spacecraft3
  STATUS Orbiting Earth
  ATTACHED 0:1,Endeavour
  NAVFREQ 0 0
  RCS 1
  CTRL_SURFACE 1
  CONFIGURATION 1
  CURRENT_PAYLOAD 0
END

Just use the eq_to_ecl.exe program from avsim and follow the instructions to get updated Elements.

 

[kneejo]

related to this, does anyone have experience with the TLE2ECL program? it's a similar converter but you need to fine-tune the outcome. I can't seem to find eq_to_ecl anywhere, so I tried this one. It outputs a MJD and ELements to input in your scenario, but up untill now the fine-tuning process drives me nuts

does anyone know why these programs work so differently?

 

[insanity]

eq_to_ecl is on avsim.

 

[kneejo]

thanks, but i did a search on avsim..

(edit) ..and found it. via some other site. let's check this out.