A simple satellite attitude simulator in python

Author: Miguel Nunes

For Documenting the code use: http://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008

example comment for functions def square_and_rooter(x): """Returns the square root of self times self.""" ...

This code using the following environment Mac OS 10.8.3 (Mountain Lion) Enthought Canopy

dependencies numpy (comes with Enthought) matplolib (comes with Enthought) mayavi (install via Enthought Package Manager) vtk (install via Enthought Package Manager)

geomag (to install see bellow) sgp4 (to install see bellow)

1. download from url https://pypi.python.org/pypi/geomag/

2. unzip, open terminal and 'cd' to the unzipped folder

3. install: $python setup.py install

4. copy 'WMM.COF' file you must copy the file 'WMM.COF' inside the site-packages folder just created by the install. The installation step copies the file to another place that the Enthought canopy cannot recognize.

$ cp WMM.COF /Users/<your_user>/Library/Enthought/Canopy_64bit/User/lib/python2.7/site-packages/geomag/

1. download from url https://pypi.python.org/pypi/sgp4/

2. unzip, open terminal and 'cd' to the unzipped folder

3. install: $python setup.py install

Future development

• integrate pyEphem for the SGP4 integration http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12093766/rectangular-coordinates-for-earth-satellites-in-pyephem