New in Release 2017.1

Over 75 new functions were added in Version 2017.1 and updates to dozens of existing functions were made to improve their performance and expand their applications. We expanded our support for heliocentric missions. This includes functions to compute solar eclipses in heliocentric orbits, heliocentric sphere of influence, heliocentric trajectory plotting and thermal models for heliocentric spacecraft. Several new component models were added for use with the CAD modeling functions. These included a Liquid Apogee Engine, curved tubes and triangular trusses.

We have added all new star identification functions. These are based on a pyramid star identification algorithm using four stars for a definitive match during lost-in-sky conditions. The algorithm provides reliable star identification with almost any star catalog and in any orientation. We have updated image processing algorithms for star centroid determination.

New attitude determination demos and algorithms were added for mixtures of different sensors, such as sun measurements, earth chords and magnetic field measurements. You can compare the performance of extended and Unscented Kalman Filters. A new second order guidance law was added for planetary and lunar landing that provides a simple and effective algorithm for landers.

New Feature Highlights by Module

• AerospaceUtils
• Five new CAD component models
• Common
• New graphics demos AnimationDemo, Plotting2DDemo, and ColorFunctionsDemo
• Graphics helper functions DistanceLabel and LegendWithTitle
• UKF parameter estimation demo UKFPDemoLinearSpring
• Missions
• New LunarVisibilitySim to calculate the visibility of a satellite in lunar orbit to a location on the lunar surface.
• Orbit
• The HelioTrajectorySimulation demo highlights some of the new heliocentric functions including RHSTrajectory, ForceSimple, GravityHelio and HelioPlot
• Analysis of separation of two satellites with OrbitSeparationSimulation and OrbitSeparationTradeStudy
• Propulsion
• ColdGasDemo demonstrates the thrust profile of a cold gas thruster as it uses fuel.
• PropulsionSystemDesignLEO calculates delta-Vs and sizes a blowdown propulsion system.
• SC
• ThrusterColdGas, a new model for a cold gas thruster propulsion system
• EclipseHelio, heliocentric eclipse calculation using any set of planets
• PlanetYear, length of planet years using the Astronomical Almanac
• PlotPlanetOrbit
• SCPro
• A fun pointing demo, NadirSunPointingDemo, that points at nadir when the spacecraft is over the continental United States and at the sun otherwise
• SpacecraftEstimation
• New UKFOrbitEstimation orbit estimation demo
• New pyramid star identification algorithm, StarIDPyramid, used in functions StellarAttDetUKF and StellarAttDetEKF and demos AttDetUKFSim and AttDetEKFSim
• Thermal
• New BraytonIdeal function and related demo

Change List

The following sections list those functions which have been added or relocated since Version 2016.1.

Directories

The AeroUtils module was renamed to AerospaceUtils. A new ComponentModels folder was added to Common and models were moved there from the Graphics folder. Common also has a new GUIs folder, with additional files from the Graphics folder.

SCT Pro

Core

Prior Releases

SCT Version 2016.1

SCT Version 2015.1
SCT Version 2014.1
SCT Version 11
SCT Version 10
SCT Version 9
SCT Version 8
SCT Version 7