This simulation was made using MATLAB software. It was designed to illustrate the effectiveness of retrograde thrusters when attempting to return an object in orbit to Earth's surface. The simulation also demonstrates the ineffectiveness of the radial thrusters in attempting to achieve the same goal.
The final visual was achieved by first utilizing the laws of gravity and drag to develop the defining equations for each satellite's motions. What remained was a series of differential equations, each solved at a specified time step. The radial and angular coordinates of each satellite at each time step was then plotted in three dimensions. The recorded frames were saved to an audio video interleave file with a set framerate. This allows for clear and concise playback.
