Hey N7NXS!

I just learned about this work you have done from a post to a satellite observing group I belong to.

Looks neat! I have to admit I am just starting to learn to use Google Earth. Coincidentally I am preparing a high school unit on satellite observing and the nature of their orbits. Its my creative project for my graduate degree. In the process of figuring out ways to teach about inclination of orbits I did a lot of work with Google Earth. Its amazing how much a person can visualize when using this program. Adjusting the compass rose to launch at 44 degrees azimuth from Cape Canaveral allowed me to see where the Shuttle first passes when launched toward the ISS. Seeing the latitude lines level off just as the satellite reaches the latitude equal to its inclination is very informative.

I would like to see an Earth image showing the extent to which the astronauts aboard can see N and S? I think they can only see about as far north as northern Alaska. Maybe youve already done that.

One thing I wish I could do would be to rotate the Earth beneath the ISS as it moves over the globe. This would show how its path over the Earth drifts eastward with each pass.

I did figure out how to simulate a fly over, including how far back to sit from the screen to see the ground move by as fast as it does when the astronauts are looking toward their nadir. To get the perspective correct I can either sit back a certain distance or adjust the scale legend to get the right perspective at the distance I am sitting. Im amazed how fast they move along. A couple years ago Don Pettit was looking for a mirror reflection that I was using to hit him but he didnt see it. Nuts! Now I know how hard it must have been. He was in orbit at the time and said it was, real clear down there.

It would be spectacular if a person could use a current TLE somehow to look down from where the ISS would be in real time, with the Earth moving below at the correct angle. Id like to look ahead and know when they are going near my zenith then see what they are seeing at the same time.

Thanks for the work you have done! I will look into directing my students to it to see for themselves.

Tom, science teacher, NE Iowa