For those who don't venture out of the corner check this out ....

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/apple...satellites.html

Tremendous fun

right click and drag your mouse and try to put satellites in orbit round the earth

 

Oops, I think I just killed Lance Bass.....

 

I'm trying to get one to orbit the moon, but it's just not happening.
I guess satellites just aren't meant to orbit satellites.

 

got a nice LEO going

 

what's a LEO?

I've been trying to get different shapes, but with little success.
I'd like to get a satellite that does a figure of eight around the earth and moon. I think I got one to do that twice, and then it crashed into something.

 

Fantastic! I got 2 to orbit nicely - the decay rate when the moon was in phase was just enough to accelerate the satellite and keep it aloft when the moon was 180 degrees out.

 

I've gotten one going now for 15 minutes and counting. It has a moon field intervention on about a 6 orbit period but it's staying up.


Wow a LEO!....that's next >)

 

Two now but now LEO yet.

 

I have one doing a nice contr-lunar orbit... 3 still going.

 

LEO is up!