Collisions

The Collisions Plugin provides functionality to display and interact with potential satellite collision events in the KeepTrack application.

Features

• Fetches and displays a list of potential satellite collisions
• Allows users to select and view details of specific collision events
• Updates the application time to the time of the selected collision
• Integrates with other KeepTrack components for satellite selection and time management

User Interface

The plugin adds the following UI elements:

1. A “Collisions” icon in the bottom menu for quick access
2. A side menu displaying a table of potential collision events
3. A help popup providing information about the Collisions Menu

Collision Information Displayed

• Time of Closest Approach (TOCA)
• Satellite numbers for both objects involved
• Maximum probability of collision
• Minimum range between objects (in kilometers)
• Relative speed between objects (in km/s)

Usage

Viewing Collision Data

1. Click the “Collisions” icon in the bottom menu
2. The side menu will open, displaying a table of potential collisions
3. If it’s the first time opening, the plugin will fetch the collision data

Interacting with Collision Events

1. Click on a row in the collision table
2. The application will:
   • Select the two satellites involved in the collision
   • Change the simulation time to 30 seconds before the collision event
   • Update the main view to focus on the selected satellites

Tip

You can use the time controls to adjust the view slightly before or after the collision event for better analysis.

Integration with KeepTrack

The Collisions Plugin integrates with several KeepTrack components:

• SelectSatManager: For selecting the satellites involved in a collision
• TimeManager: To update the simulation time to the collision event
• MainCamera: To adjust the view focus
• UiManager: For handling UI interactions and searches
• CatalogManager: To retrieve satellite information

Note

The plugin uses the SOCRATES (Satellite Orbital Conjunction Reports Assessing Threatening Encounters in Space) data for collision predictions. This data is fetched from a JSON file located at ‘./tle/SOCRATES.json’.

Development

When extending or modifying the Collisions Plugin, consider the following:

• The plugin follows the KeepTrackPlugin architecture
• Collision data is fetched asynchronously and stored in the collisionList_ property
• The UI is generated dynamically based on the fetched collision data

Code Configuration

The plugin supports the following configuration options:

• collisionDataSrc: The source URL for the collision data JSON file
• dragOptions: Configures the draggability of the side menu

Caution

If you modify the collisionDataSrc, ensure that the new data source follows the same format as the SOCRATES JSON file to maintain compatibility.

Troubleshooting

• If the collision table is empty, check the browser console for any error messages
• Verify that the collisionDataSrc URL is correct and accessible
• Ensure that the required KeepTrack components (SelectSatManager, TimeManager, etc.) are properly initialized

Note

The collision data is only fetched once per session. If you need to refresh the data, you may need to reload the application.