Part 3: design the satellite in 3D
Build the satellite as one 3D assembly with real coordinates, share it between subsystems and read the budgets that come from it. For a constellation, one design is flown many times.
Add a satellite
In 3. Satellites press Add a satellite and name it. Say how many are flown. A constellation is several satellites flown from one design, so a change to a part changes every satellite.
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Add parts
Under Design in 3D press Add a part. Choose a structure frame, a panel, a unit, an antenna, a tank and so on. Give each part a size, a position and a rotation in millimetres and degrees. The origin is the middle of the satellite. A part can sit inside a group of parts, and it belongs to a subsystem.
Move, rotate and look
Click a part in the tree or in the view. Use Move and Rotate for the arrows, and Snap to step by 1, 5 or 10 mm. Explode pulls the assembly apart to see inside, Colour by changes what the colours show, and Fit to the view and Full screen help you look around.
Import a real component
Press Import from the catalog to pick a component from the component catalog. Add as a box places a box with its size and mass. Add with its 3D model brings the real shape when the catalog has one. Check the datasheet before you rely on any figure.
Read the budgets
Budgets works out the mass with the margin of each part and the system margin, the power over the orbit with the eclipse, the data, the link budgets and the propellant. Each one says in words whether it holds. The limits come from the satellite settings, for example 0.25 kg and 50 mm for a PocketCube.
Check the integration
Integration lists the checks that can be done on the model: parts that overlap, parts outside the envelope, the centre of mass and the budgets. Overlaps are drawn in red in the 3D view.
Use the review screen
Open Review screen on a shared display in the room. It refreshes while people edit, so everyone sees the whole satellite change and the budgets move.
- You can only change parts of the subsystems your role edits. Other parts are visible when your role looks at them, and you cannot move a part into a subsystem you do not edit.
- Enter the price of each part in its properties. The cost plan uses it.