Skip to main content
Before you can track orbits, plan maneuvers, or predict communication windows, you need to register your spacecraft in the system. After logging in, navigate to Spacecraft in the left sidebar. If this is your first time, you’ll see an empty state with a prominent “Add New Spacecraft” button, your starting point for mission operations.

​
Quick Start

The only required field is the spacecraft name. You can create a minimal entry with just “Apollo 11” and add details later. However, providing complete information unlocks the platform’s full capabilities. Spacecraft

​
Spacecraft Identity

​
Name

Your spacecraft’s identifier throughout the platform. Make it memorable and unique within your organization (e.g., “Sentinel-1A”).

​
NORAD ID

The 5-digit catalog number assigned by NORAD. Example: ISS is “25544”. Leave blank if not yet launched.

​
COSPAR ID

International designator format: YYYY-NNNA
  • YYYY: Launch year
  • NNN: Launch number of that year
  • A: Piece designator (A = primary payload, B/C = secondary)
Example: “1969-059A” (Apollo 11 command module)

​
Color

Your spacecraft’s visual identifier throughout the platform. This color appears in orbital visualizations, conjunction analysis graphs, and all charts. When managing multiple spacecraft, these color-coded visualizations make it easy to distinguish “Sentinel-1A” from “Sentinel-1B” at a glance.

​
Physical Configuration

Think of your spacecraft as a box with solar panels extending from its sides. The platform needs these dimensions for critical calculations:
  • Atmospheric drag: How the thin atmosphere at orbital altitudes affects velocity
  • Solar radiation pressure: How sunlight pushes on your spacecraft
  • Communication planning: Physical orientation affects antenna pointing
Accurate dimensions enable precise orbit prediction and maneuver planning.

​
Main Body Dimensions

Box Width (X), Height (Y), Length (Z): Enter in meters. A CubeSat might be 0.1m per side, while larger satellites could be 2-3 meters. The 3D viewer updates in real-time as you type.

​
Solar Panels

Panel Width (X), Length (Y), Thickness (Z): Dimensions of solar arrays extending from the main body. Thickness is typically 0.01m or less. The system assumes four panels in two pairs.

​
Effective Area (Auto-calculated)

The platform calculates the average cross-sectional area your spacecraft presents to space forces: 
Total Surface Area = 2(Length × Width + Length × Height + Width × Height)
                    + 2 × Panel Pairs × Panel Length × Panel Width

Effective Area = Total Surface Area ÷ 4
The ÷4 factor accounts for average orientation: only about a quarter of the surface faces any force at once.

​
Drag and Reflectivity

​
Drag Coefficient

Even in space, there’s atmosphere, incredibly thin at satellite altitudes, but present. Your spacecraft gradually slows due to this atmospheric drag. The drag coefficient describes how aerodynamic your spacecraft is. Typical range: 2.0-2.2
  • Smooth spacecraft: ~2.0
  • Blocky with antennas: ~2.2+
Default recommendation: 2.2 (conservative estimate for most satellites)

​
Reflectivity Coefficient

Sunlight doesn’t just provide energy; it exerts measurable pressure on your spacecraft. This coefficient tells the system how much light your spacecraft reflects versus absorbs:
  • 0: Perfectly black (absorbs all light)
  • 2: Perfect mirror (reflects all light)
  • ~1.3: Typical for mixed surfaces (recommended default)
Higher values mean greater solar radiation pressure effects on your orbit.

​
Mass Properties

​
Launch Mass

Total mass at launch with full fuel tanks and all components (e.g., 500 kg).

​
Dry Mass

Mass without consumables, permanent structure only (e.g., 300 kg). Must be ≤ Launch Mass.

​
Current Mass

The “living number”: your spacecraft’s mass right now, at this moment. You don’t enter this directly; the system calculates it based on fuel burned during maneuvers. As your spacecraft fires thrusters, this number decreases, tracking real-time propellant consumption. Constraint: Dry Mass ≤ Current Mass ≤ Launch Mass Your spacecraft’s mass always stays between its minimum (dry) and maximum (launch) values.

​
Propulsion

Thrusters are small rocket engines attached to your spacecraft that produce thrust in specific directions. They enable orbit changes, attitude control, and mission maneuvers. Each thruster fires to change your spacecraft’s velocity or orientation. Add thrusters from the spacecraft detail page after creation by clicking “Add Thruster” in the Propulsion section: Thruster

​
Thruster Properties

Name: Identifier (e.g., “Main Engine”, “Thruster-1”) Thrust (N): The force produced by the thruster, measured in Newtons. This represents how hard the thruster can push the spacecraft. Higher thrust values enable faster orbit changes but typically consume more propellant.
  • Attitude control: 0.1-1 N
  • Main propulsion: 10-100 N
  • Heavy spacecraft: 500+ N
ISP (Specific Impulse): A measure of thruster efficiency in seconds, representing how effectively the thruster converts propellant mass into thrust. Higher ISP means less fuel is needed for the same maneuver. Think of it as “miles per gallon” for space propulsion: higher values mean more efficient engines.
  • Chemical thrusters: 200-300s (high thrust, lower efficiency)
  • Electric thrusters: 1,000+s (low thrust, very high efficiency)
Electric thrusters are incredibly efficient but produce low thrust. Chemical thrusters produce high thrust but consume fuel faster. Max Burn Time: Maximum continuous firing duration (e.g., 600 seconds) Position (X, Y, Z): Location in meters relative to center of mass
  • X: left(-)/right(+)
  • Y: down(-)/up(+)
  • Z: front(-)/back(+)
Direction: Thrust vector axis (X+/X-, Y+/Y-, Z+/Z-) The 3D viewer displays each thruster as a cone at its position and orientation.

​
Creating the Spacecraft

  1. Real-time Validation: Form checks input every 0.5 seconds. Green checkmarks = valid, red errors = fix needed
  2. Click “Create Spacecraft”: Final validation and API submission
  3. Success: Automatic redirect to spacecraft detail page with 3D visualization

​
Next Steps

With your spacecraft configured, you can now: Upload a State Vector: Import an OPM file with position/velocity data to initialize the orbit and enable real-time tracking. Track Your Orbit: View real-time position, subsatellite point, orbital elements, and ground track visualization. Plan Maneuvers: Calculate burn times, fuel consumption, and resulting orbits using your thruster configuration. Monitor Conjunctions: Track close approaches with other space objects and assess collision risks Each piece of information you provide unlocks more platform capabilities. Without orbital data, you can’t use tracking features. Without thrusters, you can’t plan maneuvers. Without accurate mass data, fuel consumption calculations won’t be precise.

​
Editing and Management

  • Editing: Click edit buttons on any section, modify fields, and save
  • 3D Viewer: Updates instantly as you change dimensions
  • Color Coding: Appears everywhere for easy multi-spacecraft distinction
  • Archiving: Spacecraft can be archived (not deleted) to preserve historical data while hiding from active views

​
Common Questions

Q: Don’t know my drag coefficient? A: Use 2.2. It works for most satellites. Q: Should I create pre-launch spacecraft? A: Yes! Add information as you gather it. Leave NORAD and COSPAR IDs blank until they are assigned after launch. Q: What if I make a mistake? A: Everything is editable. Go to the spacecraft detail page and click edit on any section. Q: Do I need to understand orbital mechanics? A: No. The platform handles complex calculations. You just describe physical properties. Q: Can I create multiple spacecraft? A: Yes! There’s no limit. Create entries for your entire constellation or manage multiple missions simultaneously.

​
What Makes a “Complete” Spacecraft?

While only a name is required to create a spacecraft entry, a “complete” spacecraft has:
  1. Full identification: Name, NORAD ID, COSPAR ID. Establishes your spacecraft’s official identity.
  2. Physical specifications: Accurate dimensions, mass, drag and reflectivity coefficients. Enables precise orbit prediction.
  3. Orbital data: State vectors or TLEs. Shows where your spacecraft is and where it’s going.
  4. Propulsion configuration: Defined thrusters with positions and performance characteristics. Enables maneuver planning.
Think of spacecraft configuration as progressive unlocking. Start with just a name if needed, then add information as you gather it during development, launch, and operations.

Spacecraft Management

Advanced spacecraft management features

Import Measurements

Import orbital data for your spacecraft

Quick Start Guide

Continue your onboarding journey

Application Overview

Navigate the VALAR interface