Interface tour

Applies to Orbit Visualizer v1.1 · Updated July 5, 2026

The Orbit Visualizer is split into three main zones: a left sidebar for scenario configuration, a central 3D scene, and a collapsible Analysis panel at the bottom. This page walks through every control so you know where to find things without hunting.

▶ Open the Orbit Visualizer

The sidebar

The sidebar runs down the left side and contains all the controls for building and configuring your scenario. Each section is a collapsible card — click its heading to expand or collapse it.

Time Controls

The Time Controls section drives the scenario clock. All times are UTC.

• Scenario Time (UTC) — the current scenario time shown as a text field. Type a new UTC date-time and click Set Time to jump to it.
• Time Step — the playback speed multiplier (0.1× to 1 day/s). Use fast steps (1 hr/s, 1 day/s) to sweep through many orbits quickly.
• ◀◀ Rewind   ◀ Step backward   ▶ Play/Pause   ▶ Step forward   ▶▶ Fast forward
• Reset to Live — returns the scenario clock to the current real UTC time.

Scenario Objects

The Scenario Objects section lists all the orbital objects in the current scenario. Each object has a colored orbit in the 3D scene and a card in this list showing its propagator badge. Clicking an object’s name opens its properties for editing; the × button removes it.

• Load from Catalog — opens the catalog modal to add individual satellites or whole constellation groups. Catalog objects default to SGP4.
• Add Object — opens the add-object dialog where you pick an input type (Classical Orbital Elements, State Vector, or TLE), enter the orbit parameters, choose a propagator and color, and click Add Object.

The initial-state panel (hidden by default; accessible via Add Object) supports three input types:

• Classical Orbital Elements — semi-major axis (km), eccentricity, inclination (deg), RAAN Ω (deg), argument of periapsis ω (deg), and true anomaly ν (deg), with a UTC epoch.
• State Vector (r, v) — position and velocity in the ECI frame (km and km/s) with a UTC epoch.
• Two Line Element Set (TLE) — paste a 2-line NORAD TLE. Objects default to SGP4.

Ground Sites

The Ground Sites section manages observer locations used for pass prediction and displayed on the ground-track map. Click Add Ground Site to enter a name, latitude, longitude, altitude, and an elevation mask. Sites are plotted on the Ground Track tab and used by the Access tab.

Display Options

• Camera Reference — switch between Earth (ECI) (inertial; the camera sees the Earth rotate) and Earth (ECEF) (Earth-fixed; the camera rotates with the planet, so ground tracks stay stationary).
• Show Axes — toggle the ECI or ECEF axis triad.
• Show Object Labels — toggle name labels beside each orbit.
• Show Object Data — shows a floating data readout (position, altitude, velocity) beside each object.
• Show Sun Vector — draws an arrow toward the Sun from Earth’s center.
• Reset Camera — returns the camera to the default viewing angle and zoom.

Sidebar footer

At the bottom of the sidebar, three buttons appear once at least one object exists:

• Copy Link — encodes the whole scenario (objects, propagators, maneuvers, ground sites) into a shareable URL. See URL API.
• Save / Load — locally saves named scenarios to browser storage or loads them; cloud save is available for Pro members.
• Export — downloads an ephemeris or a PNG image. See Plans & limits for which formats are Pro.

The 3D scene

The central canvas renders the Earth, orbit paths, axis arrows, labels, and the Sun vector using WebGL. Mouse controls:

• Drag — orbit the camera around the Earth.
• Scroll / pinch — zoom in and out.

The camera respects the selected Camera Reference frame: in ECI the Earth spins beneath the camera; in ECEF the Earth is stationary and the orbits precess overhead.

Analysis panel

The Analysis panel is a collapsible drawer along the bottom of the scene. It contains three tabs, each doing a different kind of analysis on the objects and sites in your scenario:

• Ground Track — 2D equirectangular map with sub-satellite paths, live position markers, and ground-site crosses. Checkboxes show or hide individual tracks. Save Ground Track PNG exports the map.
• Access — pass prediction: select objects and a site, choose a span, and click Run. The table shows AOS, LOS, duration, max elevation, and AOS/max/LOS azimuths. Download CSV exports the results.
• Conjunction — close-approach screening: pick two objects, a span, and a threshold distance, then click Run. The output is a range-vs-time chart, a RIC relative-motion view, and a closest-approach event table.

Drag the resize handle at the top of the panel to adjust its height. The active tab and panel state persist across page reloads.

Keyboard shortcuts

Related

• Your first orbit — start here if you haven’t yet.
• Ground sites & access — detailed pass prediction workflow.
• URL API — deep-link any orbit or scenario.