Spacecraft.OrbitWizardRelativeMotionCircular(Spacecraft, Variable, Variable, Variable) Method

Configures the orbit state of the calling Spacecraft to fly in a circular formation with the specified separation from the primarySC. The circular formation causes the secondarySC to revolve around the primary at a constant distance. The period of the circular relative motion is the same as the orbital period of the primarySC. The circular relative motion of the secondarySC is constrained to a plane that is inclined +/- 30 degrees from primarySC's intrack-crosstrack plane, towards the radial direction. The user specifies the circular formation radius, initial phase angle, and inclination sign. An initial phase angle of zero corresponds to placing the secondarySC with an initial RIC-frame y-axis separation of zero; the z-axis separation would be at its maximum value.

This formation orbit wizard is based on the HCW system, so it assumes that the primarySC is in a two-body circular orbit, and that the secondarySC is near to the primary and propagated with the HCW propagator. If this is not the case, the actual propagated formation will not maintain the idealized relative motion.

This page describes functionality in millisecond timing precision mode. Millisecond timing precision mode is deprecated and will be removed in a future release. We recommend that you migrate your Mission Plans to nanosecond timing precision mode.

Method Signature

Spacecraft.OrbitWizardRelativeMotionCircular(	Spacecraft primarySC,
	Variable radius,
	Variable initialPhaseAngle,
	Variable inclinationSign)

Arguments

primarySC
Description:	The Spacecraft with which the calling Spacecraft will fly in formation. This orbit wizard assumes that the primary Spacecraft is in a circular orbit and using either a TwoBody or HCW propagator.

radius
Description:	The distance which the secondary Spacecraft will maintain as it revolves around the primary.
Units:	km

initialPhaseAngle
Description:	The initial phase angle of the secondary Spacecraft. An initial phase angle of zero corresponds to placing the secondary Spacecraft with an initial RIC-frame y-axis separation of zero; the z-axis separation will be at its maximum value.
Units:	deg
Valid Range:	0 ≤ initialPhaseAngle ≤ 360

inclinationSign

Description:

The sign of the inclination angle.

Valid Values:

Value	Label
-1	Negative
1	Positive

Syntax

mySpacecraft1.OrbitWizardRelativeMotionCircular(mySpacecraft2, myVariable1, myVariable2, myVariable3);