I'm new to Universe Sandbox but an having a blast. Last night I created a circularized mock-up of the inner solar system (minus the moons) and then put in a Jupiter size planet on a 30 degree inclined, highly elliptical orbit (.66 AU perihelion and 5 AU aphelion) and let it run to see how the system evolved. It has been very interesting so far (I still have it running).
So, for my next experiment, I want to set up the solar system and then have different sized objects fly though it at different speeds to see how the system behaves and recovers/evolves. This would be everything from a rogue planet to a neutron star flying through at different angles, distances, and speeds.
Is it possible to do this using the Launch feature? In other words, can I set an object up to launch at the sun but miss by 3 AU? Can I adjust the angles and initial speed and distance of the object (ie, start at 60 AU, 40 degrees above the ecliptic, .25c, and pass through the ecliptic at 5 AU)? I've played around with the Launch feature a little bit but this is the first time I've thought about using it to create something other than an actual collision. If Launch isn't the right way to do this, what is a better way?