Discussion Developing my first satellite

[N_Molson]

Learn about vectors. 45° is not 0.5 but 0.707 ; stuff like that.

Useful link :

Basic Vectors Operations

 

[Pipcard]

I understand what's on the link (I learned basic trig last year), but how is ROT_AXIS calculated? How does it become 0.707?

 

[Zatnikitelman]

In Orbiter, vectors for stuff like this must have a magnitude of 1. The operation for this is called normalization.

 

[Pipcard]

Can someone explain to me why that is 1? And the difference between 1 and 0.707?

 

[Grover]

because you arent measuring linear ratios, they are trigonometric ratios

for example, if you have a line flat on a horizontal plane, oriented 45* from vertical, its direction relative to the X axis is cos(45*) which equals 0.707

you will also notice that pythagoras' theorem applies to the vectors to make 1, so

((sqrt) X^2+Y^2+Z^2)=1). this is because the vectors are "Normalised" (ie. made to equal a total length of 1m.

now visualise your vector, it is 1m long and in any direction. to calculate its properties, Orbiter needs all 3 components of its length, in each axis, so use simple trigonometry (soh cah toa) to calculate each component and feed that to the orbiter engine!

 

[Pipcard]

Is it always the cosine?

 

[Grover]

not necessarily, if you measure it from the opposing axis you use sine

for example, if you know the vector is along the plane X-Y, and you know it is 30* from X, then the component is sin(30*) in the Y axis, and Cos(30*) in the X axis

however, it may simply be easier to note that you can simply use 90-angle to find the angle of offset from the opposing axis as well

if in doubt, draw the vector in 3d software as a line, then measure the distance in each axis from the end of the vector to the plane of origin

 

[Pipcard]

My last few posts on this thread were from when I wasn't on my laptop with Orbiter on it, so I wasn't being clear enough. This is a visual aid:

(and if I put multiple 0.707s and any combination of that, the animation becomes even wonkier)

---------- Post added at 07:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:33 PM ----------

Well, if I can't be helped, I'll just move on to learning how to fly the Shuttle (Shuttle Fleet).

 

[Scruce]

Well, if you cant try four, just try one antennae animation, perhaps you are getting ahead of your skill with four?

Remember, work your way up the skill level.

 

[Pipcard]

Well, if you cant try four, just try one antennae animation, perhaps you are getting ahead of your skill with four?

Remember, work your way up the skill level.

I'm testing one antenna.

 

[Scruce]

I'm testing one antenna.

What I mean is, they are all diagonal. Try having just one horizontal, the animation might be a little easier.

Or, you could adopt a sideline project, whenever I make a mesh, and there is something I am not sure about, I would start a sideline project to test the problem and hopefully get some solutions from it. So, make another satellite (don't worry about textures or anything fancy, because we are just using this for test purposes), build one antenna on to it, and work with the animation to increase your skill level.

Thinking about that, you could include that test satellite in your addon as a sort of 'How I used this test satellite to help me increase my skill in animations.'