Simulation / Game
Orbital Mechanics
A retro CRT vector-display orbital mechanics game: Apollo-style CSM on patched-conic physics with maneuver nodes, trans-lunar flights to a kinematic Moon, and a green-phosphor mission-control console.
Current Shape
- Patched-conic physics: RK4 + exact Kepler on-rails time warp, SOI handoff to a kinematic Moon.
- Maneuver node editor with TIG/prograde/normal/radial planning, predicted orbit, and finite auto-aligned burns.
- Apollo orbit-ops assists: attitude holds, solved TLI/CIRC burns, LOI/TEI, orbit checkpoints, navball.
- Real HYG star catalog and Natural Earth coastlines on a green-phosphor vector globe (Vite + TypeScript).
Build Log
Full Apollo Stack: CSM + LM
Two independently simulated craft: undock the LM, fly a powered descent to a lunar touchdown, jettison the descent stage, ride the APS back to orbit, rendezvous and hard-dock with the CSM. S-IVB third stage (real J-2 numbers) flies TLI and gets staged away. Verified end-to-end: landing at 278 kg of DPS fuel, ascent to a 331x296 km lunar orbit, crew transfer, TEI home.
V3.0: The Merge
Unified the two lineages: the Apollo feature build (Moon + SOI patched conics, maneuver nodes, orbit-ops assists, navball, map view, star catalog, coastlines, audio) now runs on the modern Vite + TypeScript architecture. One canonical main branch again.
V2 Vector Console Rebuild (Branch)
Rebuilt the simulator as a modern Vite + TypeScript app on the v2-vector-console branch: SI-unit RK4 physics with atmospheric drag, zero-drift on-rails time warp to 100,000x, fuel/delta-v budget, and a mission chain ending in reentry splashdown. Candidate architecture for migrating the Apollo feature set off the legacy script-tag stack.
Use Finite Plain-line Maneuver Burns
Replaced instant maneuver execution with finite SPS burns, removed the remaining shader-style atmosphere helper, and slowed attitude inputs for cleaner CRT line motion.
Trigger Auto Burns At Ignition Time
Changed auto-burn execution to trigger at ignition time, centering planned burns around the maneuver node.
Arm Future Maneuver Burns
Made future maneuver burns arm and count down instead of instantly jumping the spacecraft to the node.
Maneuver Alignment Guidance
Added burn-vector alignment guidance, ignition timing, and pointing error readouts so planned nodes connect directly to spacecraft attitude.
Direct Maneuver Node Placement
Added click-to-place maneuver nodes on the orbit line, scene markers, map connectors, and a maneuver cue on the navball.
Intuitive Maneuver Node Editor
Added a MechJeb-style maneuver editor with prograde, normal, radial, TIG, AP/PE placement, predicted orbit, and burn timing.
Maneuver Planning And Flight Display Controls
Added the first maneuver planning pass with flight display controls, predicted orbit telemetry, and burn execution.
Roadmap For Clean CRT Display Target
Updated the roadmap around a clean CRT display target and Apollo mission-control visual direction.