CelestialObject.Flattening Property

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Description

Physical property defined by the difference of the equatorial radius and polar radius divided by the equatorial radius of the CelestialObject body.

This value is used in calculating properties such as Spacecraft.Height. When a Spacecraft is propagated using a gravitational potential field file, the Reciprocal Flattening specified in the file is used for propagation of that Spacecraft.

This value is also used with the VisibilityCalculator and VisibilitySegment objects if the VisibilitySegment.CelestialObjectTargetModel and/or VisibilitySegment.CelestialObjectOccultationModel properties are set to "ellipsoid".

The Flattening, RadiusPolar, and RadiusEquatorial properties of a CelestialObject are all linked. Setting the Flattening value will update the RadiusPolar value automatically, while setting the RadiusPolar value will automatically update the Flattening value.

Timing Precision Mode

This page describes functionality in nanosecond timing precision mode.

Click here to see the documentation for this object in millisecond timing precision mode.

Attributes

Type:	number
Access:	read/write
Default Value:	0.00335281
Valid Range:	CelestialObject.Flattening < 1

Syntax

myVariable1 = myCelestialObject1.Flattening;

myCelestialObject1.Flattening = myVariable1;