vibe coding an orbital mechanics simulation to try out claude code
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1.7 KiB

Session Summary: Analytical Propagation Implementation

Date: 2026-02-04

Changes Made

1. Implemented analytical propagation for all orbit types

  • Modified update_spacecraft_physics() and update_bodies_physics() in src/simulation.cpp
  • Replaced RK4 numerical integration with propagate_orbital_elements()
  • Supports circular, elliptical, parabolic, and hyperbolic orbits

2. Fixed three critical bugs in hyperbolic orbit propagation (src/orbital_mechanics.cpp)

  • true_anomaly_to_hyperbolic() - wrong formula (multiply vs divide, incorrect variable naming)
  • hyperbolic_to_true_anomaly() - wrong formula (atanh vs atan, inverted factor)
  • propagate_orbital_elements() hyperbolic case - only 1 Newton-Raphson iteration (now iterates to convergence)

3. Added orbital element reconstruction

  • After burns in execute_maneuver() (src/maneuver.cpp)
  • After SOI transitions in update_bodies_physics() (src/simulation.cpp)
  • Updated execute_maneuver() signature to include SimulationState* parameter

4. Removed dead code

  • Removed unused solve_kepler_hyperbolic_with_prev() function from codebase

Commits

  • Commit 1: 31f38b9 - "Implement analytical propagation for all orbit types" (6 files, +129/-15)
  • Commit 2: ec064a2 - "Remove unused solve_kepler_hyperbolic_with_prev() function" (2 files, -19)

Results

  • All 132 tests passing (240,294 assertions)
  • Zero energy drift for all analytically propagated orbits
  • All orbit types (circular, elliptical, parabolic, hyperbolic) now use unified analytical propagation
  • Net line count: +129 -15 -19 = +95 lines

Remaining Issues

None

Next Steps

  • Rewrite technical_reference.md from scratch to reflect current state of codebase