Development and validation of an open-source software package for very low Earth orbit satellite simulation

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to develop and experimentally validate an open-source software package in MATLAB/Simulink, named OrbSim, which can numerically simulate the trajectory and attitude of a satellite such as a CubeSat in very low Earth orbit (VLEO). The modeled disturbances acting on the satellite include aerodynamic, gravitational, solar radiation pressure, and magnetic forces and torques. OrbSim was first validated against AGI’s Systems Tool Kit (STK), an industry standard software package for simulating satellite orbital dynamics, by simulating orbital trajectories using different permutations of the disturbances being modeled by each package. OrbSim was found to perform on par with STK. A second validation involved predicting the orbital lifetime of an actual satellite, the Humanity Star, with OrbSim’s prediction being accurate to half a day of the true reentry time.