🛰️

Femto Satellite Deployer

A physics-accurate simulation of femto satellite deployment from high altitude. This tool models 2.5cm cube satellites (40g) deployed from 5000m, simulating realistic aerodynamics, tumbling, and terminal velocity behavior.

🚀 Quick Start Guide

1️⃣

Deploy Satellite

Choose deployment mode:

▸Single: Deploy one satellite at a time
▸Batch: Deploy 10 satellites simultaneously

2️⃣

Monitor Telemetry

Real-time data includes:

▸Altitude, Speed, Flight Time
▸Max Velocity & Terminal Velocity
▸Tumbling State & Rotation Speed

3️⃣

Observe Physics

Watch the 3D visualization:

▸Real-time satellite descent
▸Tumbling and rotation animation
▸Trajectory trails and landing markers

📐 Satellite Specifications

Parameter	Value	Description
Dimensions	2.5 cm × 2.5 cm × 2.5 cm	Cube-shaped femto satellite
Mass	40 g (0.04 kg)	Ultra-lightweight design
Deployment Altitude	5000 m	High-altitude release point
Drag Coefficient (Min)	1.05	Face-on orientation
Drag Coefficient (Max)	1.35	Edge-on or tumbling
Terminal Velocity	~30-40 m/s	Varies with orientation
Flight Time	~180-250 seconds	Depends on aerodynamics

🔬 Physics Model

Forces Acting on Satellite

Gravity: F = m × g (9.81 m/s²)
Constant downward force

Drag Force: F = 0.5 × ρ × v² × Cd × A
Air resistance (increases with velocity)

Net Force: F_net = F_gravity - F_drag
Determines acceleration

Tumbling Dynamics

Tumbling Triggers:

• Random initial angular velocities (0.5-2 rad/s)
• Aerodynamic asymmetries
• Torque from drag variations

Effects:

• Variable drag coefficient
• Unpredictable terminal velocity
• Chaotic descent patterns

Atmospheric Model

Air Density (5000m):0.735 kg/m³

Air Density (Sea Level):1.225 kg/m³

Scale Height:8000 m

ρ(h) = ρ₀ × e^(-h/H)
Exponential atmosphere model

Terminal Velocity

Occurs when drag force equals gravity:

v_terminal = √(2mg / ρACd)

• Face-on (Cd=1.05): ~38 m/s

• Edge-on (Cd=1.35): ~33 m/s

• Tumbling: 30-40 m/s (variable)

📊 Telemetry Data Explained

Altitude & Speed

Altitude:

Height above ground level in meters. Starts at 5000m and decreases to 0m at landing.

Speed:

Current descent velocity. Accelerates initially, then stabilizes at terminal velocity.

Flight Time:

Total time since deployment. Typical range: 180-250 seconds.

Velocity Metrics

Max Speed:

Highest velocity achieved during descent. Usually equals terminal velocity.

Terminal Velocity:

Calculated equilibrium speed based on current drag coefficient and orientation.

Speed Progress:

Percentage of terminal velocity reached (current speed / terminal velocity × 100%).

Tumbling Status

Tumbling:

YES = Satellite is rotating/tumbling
Stable = Face-on descent

Rotation:

Angular velocity in rad/s. Higher values indicate faster tumbling.

Drag Coefficient

Current Drag Coef:

Varies based on orientation:
• 1.05 = Face-on (maximum drag)
• 1.35 = Edge-on (minimum drag)
• 1.05-1.35 = Tumbling (variable)

🎮 3D Visualization Controls

🖱️

Mouse Drag

Rotate camera around scene

🔍

Mouse Wheel

Zoom in/out

👁️

Auto-Follow

Camera tracks active satellite

Visual Elements

Satellite Cubes

2.5cm cubes with rotation animation

Descent Trails

Yellow trajectory paths (last 50 points)

Landing Markers

Green circles at impact sites

Ground Plane

20m × 20m grid at altitude 0

📈 Understanding Statistics

📊

Total Deployed

Cumulative count of all satellites deployed since simulation start. Increments with each single deployment or by 10 for batch deployments.

✈️

In Flight

Number of satellites currently descending. Decrements as satellites land. Maximum of 10 satellites can be in flight simultaneously.

🎯

Landed

Count of satellites that have completed descent and reached the ground. Landing positions are marked with green circles in 3D view.

🔧 Troubleshooting

⚠️Cannot deploy satellite (button disabled)

Cause: Maximum 10 satellites can be in flight simultaneously.

Solution: Wait for some satellites to land, or click "Reset All" to clear the scene.

⚠️Satellites falling too fast or too slow

This is expected behavior!

Terminal velocity varies based on orientation and tumbling. Face-on satellites fall slower (~38 m/s) while edge-on satellites fall faster (~33 m/s). Tumbling satellites show variable speeds.

ℹ️3D visualization is choppy

Performance tips:

• Avoid deploying too many satellites at once
• Reset simulation periodically to clear old trails
• Close other browser tabs to free GPU resources

🌍 Real-World Applications

Mission Planning

• Predict landing dispersal patterns
• Optimize deployment altitudes
• Test satellite orientation strategies
• Validate descent time estimates

Educational Use

• Learn atmospheric physics
• Understand terminal velocity
• Observe tumbling dynamics
• Study drag coefficient effects

Ready to Deploy?

Launch the simulation and experiment with femto satellite deployments to observe realistic physics and aerodynamic behavior.

🛰️Launch Satellite Deployer