Quick and Easy RPO Modeling with STK Astrogator

AGI has recently released a free collection of 45 RPO sequences for use with STK Astrogator. These sequences empower experts and non-experts alike to create realistic RPO trajectories quickly and easily. You can obtain this collection simply by contacting AGI Support.

To learn more about the sequences in this collection, check out my recent video about them, or just read on! These RPO sequences will help you:

• Calculate the risk of collision with nearby objects in space
• Use accurate force models, which can differ between spacecraft due to size and orientation in orbit and change due to factors like solar radiation pressure and third-body perturbations
• Account for environmental effects and their variation across different orbit regimes
• Assess passive safety and resultant orbits from failed maneuvers

You can pull the sequences directly into Astrogator’s Mission Control Sequence (MCS), configure their parameters, and then execute the MCS and let Astrogator churn through the solution and build your RPO mission.

These prebuilt sequences enable you to specify impulsive or finite maneuvers, and switch between thrust models.

In the image above, you can see the imaging satellite rendezvous with the ISS, maneuver to a natural motion circumnavigation (NMC) orbit, and then maneuver again to a “perch point” for one day. The maneuver times, Delta-V, and fuel used are included in a default report. This example took less than 10 minutes to design and solve for.

Once you have the sequence collection, you can see all the sequences from the Astrogator interface by selecting “Insert New Segment” and expanding the RPO folder within the segment selection page.

_{The full list of RPO sequences available for STK Astrogator}