Geostationary Orbit

[Astro]

I’ve been doing some Odyssey’s Career Mode missions and I noticed a mission where you put a satellite into Geostationary Orbit. I know that it means a satellite basically stays in one place. But how do I get into a Geostationary orbit?

 

[Altaïr]

Ah, you can't really do that ingame. In real life, a satellite on GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) orbits in 24 hours. As the Earth is rotating at the same rate, the satellite appears to be constantly at the same place. "appears" only, because it's actually moving.

In SFS, there's no planet rotation, so you can't do that. As the height of GEO is 36000 km and because SFS applies a reduction factor of 20 for planets size, it's current to assume that GEO would be at 1800 km. But that's purely conventional.

 

[Astro]

Ah, you can't really do that ingame. In real life, a satellite on GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) orbits in 24 hours. As the Earth is rotating at the same rate, the satellite appears to be constantly at the same place. "appears" only, because it's actually moving.

In SFS, there's no planet rotation, so you can't do that. As the height of GEO is 36000 km and because SFS applies a reduction factor of 20 for planets size, it's current to assume that GEO would be at 1800 km. But that's purely conventional.

Ok, that makes way more sense. Thank you for answering this question.

 

[4KidsOneCamera]

Ah, you can't really do that ingame. In real life, a satellite on GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) orbits in 24 hours. As the Earth is rotating at the same rate, the satellite appears to be constantly at the same place. "appears" only, because it's actually moving.

In SFS, there's no planet rotation, so you can't do that. As the height of GEO is 36000 km and because SFS applies a reduction factor of 20 for planets size, it's current to assume that GEO would be at 1800 km. But that's purely conventional.

Yep, I got 1789.3km for my geostationary orbit.

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

Ah, you can't really do that ingame. In real life, a satellite on GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) orbits in 24 hours. As the Earth is rotating at the same rate, the satellite appears to be constantly at the same place. "appears" only, because it's actually moving.

In SFS, there's no planet rotation, so you can't do that. As the height of GEO is 36000 km and because SFS applies a reduction factor of 20 for planets size, it's current to assume that GEO would be at 1800 km. But that's purely conventional.

Hey Altaïr, remember when we were working on this? We obtained the real GEO height for Earth, Mars and Jupiter, should I post it?

 

[4KidsOneCamera]

Hey Altaïr, remember when we were working on this? We obtained the real GEO height for Earth, Mars and Jupiter, should I post it?

I would love to know!

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

I would love to know!

Okay, but is much higher than 1800 km, you prepared to hear a high number?

 

[4KidsOneCamera]

Okay, but is much higher than 1800 km, you prepared to hear a high number?

Yep. I think I'm ready!

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

Yep. I think I'm ready!

Earth: 5361.05 km (for a Rotational Period of 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds).

Mars: 2573.953 km (for a Rotational Period of 24 hours, 37 minutes).

Jupiter: 17 994.001 km (for a Rotational Period of 9 hours, 56 minutes).

 

[Bloxwess]

Earth: 5361.05 km (for a Rotational Period of 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds).

Mars: 2573.953 km (for a Rotational Period of 24 hours, 37 minutes).

Jupiter: 17 994.001 km (for a Rotational Period of 9 hours, 56 minutes).

Holy crap!

 

[SM84CE]

5300 KM? My BP edit-free, on-pad 0G assembled, gluten-free shuttle will hit that in no time

 

[Mooncrasher]

Earth: 5361.05 km (for a Rotational Period of 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds).

Mars: 2573.953 km (for a Rotational Period of 24 hours, 37 minutes).

Jupiter: 17 994.001 km (for a Rotational Period of 9 hours, 56 minutes).

Wow!
Is that based on the atmosphere height or something?

 

[Altaïr]

Wow!
Is that based on the atmosphere height or something?

Erm... No, it's only based on the fact that at this altitude a full revolution corresponds to the day duration: a satellite at 5361.05 kilometers above Earth surface orbits in 23h56m04s for example.

 

[Mooncrasher]

Erm... No, it's only based on the fact that at this altitude a full revolution corresponds to the day duration: a satellite at 5361.05 kilometers above Earth surface orbits in 23h56m04s for example.

I see. Since that game has no proper clock, are you basing that on the Lunar Period = 27.32 days?

 

[Altaïr]

I see. Since that game has no proper clock, are you basing that on the Lunar Period = 27.32 days?

No, those are real durations. I mean an object on such an orbit would orbit in 23h56m04s measured on a real clock. Of course we didn't "measure" this by letting the game turned on during a full day, but as we know the planet characteristics, it's possible to calculate the rotation period for a particular orbit.

 

[Mooncrasher]

No, those are real durations. I mean an object on such an orbit would orbit in 23h56m04s measured on a real clock. Of course we didn't "measure" this by letting the game turned on during a full day, but as we know the planet characteristics, it's possible to calculate the rotation period for a particular orbit.

Ohhh.
23h56m04s in real time.

 

[ganafu]

Hi all, just came across this thread. I'm getting 920 km for geostationary based on 27.3 satellite rotations for one lunar rotation. I believe this is correct, but please let me know where I'm going wrong vs. the 1789 km value above and here: Earth

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

Hi all, just came across this thread. I'm getting 920 km for geostationary based on 27.3 satellite rotations for one lunar rotation. I believe this is correct, but please let me know where I'm going wrong vs. the 1789 km value above and here: Earth

Problem is the moon’s orbit ins’t correctly scaled in the game, so the SFS moon’s orbital period isn’t the same as the real moon.

And the geostationary orbit isn’t 1789 km either. 1789 is only what you obtain when you scale down the real geostationary orbit to SFS scale, but that doesn’t give you an orbital period of 23h, 56m.

Altaïr and I calculated the real height for an orbital period of 23h 56mins around SFS Earth a looooooong time ago. Do you remember, Altaïr?

I’ll try to find the actual value and post it here.
Edit: Actually, is right here. Just a few posts up.
Geostationary Orbit

 

[ganafu]

Thanks for the explanation of scale error, and the ridiculously quick reply! I saw your discussion above, treating geostationary as one revolution in real time. Despite the inconsistent scaling, I think I'll stick with 920 km so I'm at least timed to one SFS sidereal day.

 

[Blazer Ayanami]

Thanks for the explanation of scale error, and the ridiculously quick reply!.

You’re welcome!

 

[Horus Lupercal]

I think I'll stick with 920 km so I'm at least timed to one SFS sidereal day.

So why 920km then...?

 

[VibeChecker]

Problem is the moon’s orbit ins’t correctly scaled in the game, so the SFS moon’s orbital period isn’t the same as the real moon.

And the geostationary orbit isn’t 1789 km either. 1789 is only what you obtain when you scale down the real geostationary orbit to SFS scale, but that doesn’t give you an orbital period of 23h, 56m.

Altaïr and I calculated the real height for an orbital period of 23h 56mins around SFS Earth a looooooong time ago. Do you remember, Altaïr?

I’ll try to find the actual value and post it here.
Edit: Actually, is right here. Just a few posts up.
Geostationary Orbit

What about the distance in relation to the scaled-down ISS's location between the Earth and the Moon? 400 km is really low in comparison to the range of possible orbits, so it is probably only 40 km in SFS terms or even less.

 

[Horus Lupercal]

What about the distance in relation to the scaled-down ISS's location between the Earth and the Moon? 400 km is really low in comparison to the range of possible orbits, so it is probably only 40 km in SFS terms or even less.

It'd be even less. The game is 1:20 scaled for everything except Earths atmosphere (which should be around 5km thick), so the ISS should technically be inside SFS's atmosphere (at around 20km)

 

[VibeChecker]

It'd be even less. The game is 1:20 scaled for everything except Earths atmosphere (which should be around 5km thick), so the ISS should technically be inside SFS's atmosphere (at around 20km)

There should be a "realism" mod for SFS where the atmosphere is scaled to hundreds of kilometers and SRBs are added. Would be pretty fun to play.

 

[Horus Lupercal]

There should be a "realism" mod for SFS where the atmosphere is scaled to hundreds of kilometers and SRBs are added. Would be pretty fun to play.

Hundreds? It's only a hundred in real life.

And there is a realistic mod for SFS. Several infact.