Release Notes for FreeFlyer 7.2

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New Features in FreeFlyer 7.2


Spacecraft Propagation

Added the WhileStepping loop syntax

oBehaves similarly to stepping a Spacecraft object to a condition

oDesigned to allow a user to execute lines of FreeFlyer script at every internal step along the way to meeting the condition

 

Maneuvering

Added the WhileManeuvering loop syntax

oManeuvers a Spacecraft object with a FiniteBurn, ImpulsiveBurn, or OutgassingEvent object similar to the Maneuver command

oAllows a user to execute lines of FreeFlyer script at every internal step of the Maneuver

Added support for a new FiniteBurn steering mode, linear tangent steering

 

Command Line Reference

A new switch, --generate-license-log, has been added to FF.exe and FreeFlyer.exe to provide advanced licensing details for debugging

Users can now utilize the new --check-syntax-mission-plan or --check-syntax-mission-plan-list with FF.exe to syntax check a Mission Plan from the command line

 

Miscellaneous Improvements

Support for reversing the X-axis and Y-axis of a PlotWindow has been added

The ability to reconnect scripting automation for a ViewWindow has been included in the ViewWindow context menu

Jacchia-Roberts and MSIS drag models now share data files among Spacecraft objects, removing limits for how many Spacecraft configured to use these drag formats are allowed

An assortment of other bug fixes and minor enhancements were made

 

 

Upcoming Changes


Timing Precision

Nanosecond timing precision mode will become the default for newly created Mission Plans and documentation as of FreeFlyer 7.3

 

 

Migrating to FreeFlyer 7.2


While we always strive to maintain 100% backwards compatibility in our new releases, our efforts to make FreeFlyer more flexible and consistent in FreeFlyer 7.2 and higher have necessitated a few changes which may require user intervention when migrating your existing Mission Plans. These changes are outlined below.

 

The Step to functionality will no longer update global output with the over-step of a condition.

 

In addition to the above, scripts like "Step sc to (sc.Epoch == sc.Epoch + 1)" will no longer work. To accomplish this going forward, you would want to assign the Spacecraft's epoch property to a Variable object and use that for the right-hand side of the condition.

 

You are no longer permitted to change the central body of one of the built-in global FreeFlyer celestial objects, such as the Moon. All utility that might have been derived from doing so is captured in other methods and functions.

 

An error is now generated when writing FF Ground Observation files and Spacecraft Observation files if Sensor object ids are not set. Previously, you would have been able to generate a file of invalid format.

 

Fixed-lag mode of the Kalman smoother now only updates the smoothed values when CalculateSmoothedState is called. Previously, if the observation buffer was not full it would update the smoother states using the fixed-point algorithm, which had an undesired performance cost.

 

All FreeFlyer-provided data files have been updated with this new release. As a result, there will be expected low order of magnitude differences in propagation and timing precision.

 

Various Objects, Properties, Methods, and Functions have been deprecated

oDeprecated Objects, Properties, Methods, and Functions are elements of FreeFlyer which are no longer recommended for use. The description of each deprecated element indicates the new recommended way to achieve the functionality of that element. The complete list of affected elements is given on the Deprecated Objects, Properties, Methods, and Functions page.

 

 

See Also


Release History