Do I need to install anything?

No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.

For Hobbyists & Makers · Glide Performance

Glide Performance for a space capsule

Built for hobbyists & makers exploring it for fun. Play with real physics and math, no license and no setup — just open and tinker. Simulate a space capsule live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Glide PerformanceLive

how far from how high

Controls

Presets

Glide ratio (L/D)

Altitude (m)

Airspeed (m/s)

An unpowered aircraft trades height for distance. Its glide ratio, L/D, is exactly how many meters forward it travels per meter of descent — a modern glider does 50:1. The shallow glide angle is set only by L/D, not weight, while the sink rate and time aloft depend on speed. Vital knowledge after an engine failure.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Glide range15.0 km

Glide angle3.8°

Sink rate2.0 m/s

Time aloft8.3 min

Governing equation

γ = arctan \frac{1}{L / D} = arctan \frac{1}{15} = 3. 8^{\circ}, v_{s} = \frac{V}{L / D} = 2.0 m/s

Reading this result: Glide angle depends only on L/D, so the range scales straight with altitude; speed changes how fast you sink and how long you stay up, but not how far you reach.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this good for hobbyists & makers?: Yes — this version of "Glide Performance for a space capsule" is framed for hobbyists & makers exploring it for fun. Play with real physics and math, no license and no setup — just open and tinker.
Do I need to install anything?: No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.