How do I simulate a satellite orbit?

Open this page and use the live Rolling Without Slipping tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.

Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.

Can I use my own numbers?

Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a satellite orbit from your own measurements.

Use case · powered by Rolling Without Slipping

Rolling Without Slipping for a satellite orbit

Simulate a satellite orbit live in your browser. This runs the real Rolling Without Slipping solver — adjust the inputs, watch it respond instantly, and export the result. No install, no account.

For:Students Researchers Educators Engineers Hobbyists & Makers K-12 Students First Responders

Rolling Without SlippingLive

a shape race down the ramp

Controls

Presets

Incline angle (°)

All these shapes share the same mass and radius, yet a solid sphere beats a hoop every time. Acceleration = g·sinθ / (1 + I/mR²): mass concentrated near the axis (small I) accelerates faster — and the result is independent of mass and radius.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Hoop accel1.12 m/s²

Disk accel2.24 m/s²

Sphere accel2.40 m/s²

Shell accel2.01 m/s²

Governing equation

a = \frac{g sin θ}{1 + I / m R ^{2}} = \frac{9.81 sin 2 0 ^{\circ}}{1 + I / m R ^{2}} = \frac{3.36}{1 + I / m R ^{2}} m/s^{2}

Reading this result: At 20° the solid sphere leads at 2.40 m/s² while the hoop trails at 1.12 m/s² — a 2.14× gap fixed entirely by mass distribution, independent of the incline and of every shape mass and radius.

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

or unlock everything with Pro →

About this simulation

The full Rolling Without Slipping tool models a satellite orbit with the same numerics engineers and scientists use — running entirely client-side. Change any parameter and the result updates in real time, so you can build intuition, check a design, or teach the concept without spreadsheets or installs.

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Other ways to simulate a satellite orbit

Particle / N-Body for a satellite orbit Heat & Wave Fields for a satellite orbit GPU Compute (WebGPU) for a satellite orbit WebGPU Fluid for a satellite orbit GPU N-Body for a satellite orbit GPU PDE Solver for a satellite orbit

Frequently asked questions

How do I simulate a satellite orbit?: Open this page and use the live Rolling Without Slipping tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.
Is it free?: Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.
Can I use my own numbers?: Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a satellite orbit from your own measurements.