General US Questions

[Atmosfear]

I'm planning on purchasing US this month, but before I do I have a few questions.  I'm interested in creating a from-scratch planetary system that obeys the laws of physics.  Are there options/commands/functions in US that can calculate the necessary masses, speeds, and so that all bodies are in proper orbits?  What about bodies with highly elliptical orbits?

[smjjames]

I haven't done US for a while, but there is the Auto Orbit button for basic orbits. For highly elliptical orbits, I would say turn on the orbit track predictor (not the actual name, I forget what the option is called atm) and tweak the velocity until you have the orbit you want.

Making the whole thing stable though, just experiment I guess?

[FiahOwl]

I haven't done US for a while, but there is the Auto Orbit button for basic orbits. For highly elliptical orbits, I would say turn on the orbit track predictor (not the actual name, I forget what the option is called atm) and tweak the velocity until you have the orbit you want.

Making the whole thing stable though, just experiment I guess?

Just use the Eccentricity Bar and change it from between 0.0 to and 1.0

[FiahOwl]

I'm planning on purchasing US this month, but before I do I have a few questions.  I'm interested in creating a from-scratch planetary system that obeys the laws of physics.  Are there options/commands/functions in US that can calculate the necessary masses, speeds, and so that all bodies are in proper orbits?  What about bodies with highly elliptical orbits?

UNSB can do everything you asked.

[vh]

I haven't done US for a while, but there is the Auto Orbit button for basic orbits. For highly elliptical orbits, I would say turn on the orbit track predictor (not the actual name, I forget what the option is called atm) and tweak the velocity until you have the orbit you want.

Making the whole thing stable though, just experiment I guess?

Just use the Eccentricity Bar and change it from 0.0 to 1.0

1.0? no thats what i do when i want a collision. 1.0 will make a line.
Orbit trak predictor, or the Projected path, is inaccurate with 3 or more bodies if they're close enough. I don't reccomend using that.

[FiahOwl]

I haven't done US for a while, but there is the Auto Orbit button for basic orbits. For highly elliptical orbits, I would say turn on the orbit track predictor (not the actual name, I forget what the option is called atm) and tweak the velocity until you have the orbit you want.

Making the whole thing stable though, just experiment I guess?

Just use the Eccentricity Bar and change it from 0.0 to 1.0

1.0? no thats what i do when i want a collision. 1.0 will make a line.
Orbit trak predictor, or the Projected path, is inaccurate with 3 or more bodies if they're close enough. I don't reccomend using that.

I meant drag it from 0.0 between 1.0 and find what you like.