The Attitude Simulator enables you to define integrated attitude segments for a satellite. You can control initialization, simulation, and post-processing through external MATLAB and VBScript script files.
For more information on scripting for the Attitude Simulator, see Attitude Simulator Plugin Points.
To open the Attitude Simulator, select the satellite in the Object Browser and select Attitude Simulator... from the Satellite menu.
Initial settings
In addition to defining Time Period, Epoch, and Initial Conditions as you would for a new Integrated Attitude file (from the satellite's Attitude properties page), you can also configure two other options:
- To account for a momentum bias (e.g., due to a spinning device within the satellite body), select Momentum Bias and enter the initial angular momentum values.
- Use the default Reference Attitude (ECI) to define the initial conditions or click Select... and choose another.
Simulator setup
You can use the buttons near the bottom of the Attitude Simulator window to launch a series of dialog boxes to set up aspects of the simulation.
| Button | Function |
|---|---|
| Configuration... | This enables you to select initialization, simulation, and post-processing files. You can also set parameters to add, remove, and reorder the files. |
| Integrator... | Choose an attitude integrator and select and set parameters for it. |
| Advanced... | Select run options. |
| Environment... | Select an atmospheric density model and set its parameters (reference density, reference altitude, and scale altitude). If an attitude file uses atmospheric density as one of its input parameters, then it will employ the selected model and accompanying parameters. For further information on the models, see Astrogator Atmospheric Models and High Precision Orbit Propagator (HPOP) Drag Model. |
Output options
The output of the simulation is an attitude (*.a) file. Enter the destination path and file name, or click the ellipsis 
button to browse for one. Select Use for attitude definition if you want STK to automatically insert the simulated attitude into the satellite's attitude profile. This will override any basic or targeted attitude for the same time period.
Running the simulation
Click to execute the simulation. Depending on selections you have made in the Advanced window, a progress indicator might appear and the scenario might animate during the simulation.
Saving settings
Click or to save the settings you have made in the simulator.