Advanced Question Interplannetary planning

[laukejas]

Hello,

Of course, there are programs like TransX, Trajectory Planner and similar to calculate best launch dates/DeltaV, but I'm looking for a simple solar system simulator, which would allow me to visualize how solar system looks at specified date, just to get general idea of what trip I could do. What are planet positions after a year from now? What is the best date to make a Voyager-type slingshots? And so on.

There was Java program from AstroJava, which I used before, absolutely perfect, but now it does not work, installer says error (you can try it). And I can't find any similar program. Can anyone help me out here? I googled, but all I found was pay-ware stuff, or "amazing graphics" type for kids, but not any simple, scientific tool to visualize planet positions.

It would be great if such program would have asteroids like Ceres, Hector, Haumea, or planets like Pluto, Sedna in databank, or allow to input custom celestial bodies.

Please help. I guess someone must use something for this purpose.

 

[garyw]

Celestia can do this for you and so can orbiter.

if you install [ame="http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4864"]Videnie orbit drawing 1.0[/ame] and then just time accel to see planetary positions

 

[laukejas]

I tried both of them, but I would prefer external program, not interfering with orbiter, and very simple. Celestia is complex in graphics. I need just a lightweight simulator.

 

[Mattyv]

How about this:

space.jpl.nasa.gov/

 

[laukejas]

Thanks, but I mean software. Downloadable. Which would show something, some basic information about planet positions.

 

[Cras]

I use Arrowstar's Trajectory Optimization add-on. It is external. You tell it what you want to do, and it will calculate a variety of information for you so you can plan out a window for launch and arrival.

 

[Izack]

Try this:
http://www.compadre.org/osp/items/detail.cfm?ID=9757

 

[laukejas]

Cras, I mentioned that program as too detailed for general view. It doesn't have solar system view at all.
Izack, thanks, but that program doesn't show solar system as well, only individual planets.

Any more suggestions?

 

[Cras]

Cras, I mentioned that program as too detailed for general view. It doesn't have solar system view at all.
Izack, thanks, but that program doesn't show solar system as well, only individual planets.

Any more suggestions?

You are right, it will only show parts of the solar system you want, and at the times you tell it in the flight plan.

But it does offer great information for planning, any other sort of display beyond that purpose is not really needed, and rather a waste of time.

You talk about a general view of the solar system, I would ask why do you want to have this view in the first place?

 

[laukejas]

Well, I think I explained it in my first post. Before making specific plan, I want to look at the solar system, to get general idea of what is possible, especially slingshot possibilities. Then make specific plan, and execute in Orbiter.

 

[perseus]

The graphics system is obsolete and works in compatibility with MS-DOS or windows 95, 98 but it is lightweight, fast and easy.

With this program you will be able to know the dates but probable of
Launching (for space agencies) of ships to the Planets of the Solar System. the positions of the vehicles, their trajectories and the duration of the flight.
From date it looks fo.
change the data of the esenario to obtain the window of launch required

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=851"]Orbita[/ame]

 

[laukejas]

Thanks, but it doesn't seem to run on 64bit, even with all compatibilities set...

 

[perseus]

Maybe this can help.
Another location in Windows file system redirection is WHERE is the Program Files Used folder. Almost every application you install it gets installed to the C: \ Program Files folder. Each application is installed Because in A Separate subfolder, the Program Files folder Seems Like An Unlikely target for file system redirection. However, in the x64 version of Windows, only 64-bit Applications are Usually installed in the Program Files folder - 32-bit Applications are installed in a folder named Program Files (x86).
Or a 32-bit emulator.