Inspiration
As a mechanical engineering student, I wanted to create something that connects physics and engineering. I have always been fascinated by orbital mechanics, so I chose to calculate Lagrange point positions in space where the gravitational forces of two large bodies balance out, allowing a smaller object to remain in stable equilibrium. These points are often used for satellite placement to improve efficiency and stability.
What It Does
The program allows the user to input known data such as mass and distance between two bodies. Using that information, it calculates approximate Lagrange point positions and the velocities required for equilibrium. This provides an intuitive way to explore orbital balance and system stability in a two-body system.
How We Built It
I built this project entirely in MATLAB, chosen for its strong numerical computation and visualization capabilities. The code computes positions and velocities, then visualizes them using both Cartesian and polar coordinate plots.
Challenges We Ran Into
MATLAB itself was both the biggest help and the biggest challenge. Since most participants at hackathons use languages like Python or JavaScript, presenting a MATLAB-based project is quite the challenge. It also took some trial and error to get the polar plotting working correctly within MATLAB’s environment.
Accomplishments
The code works exactly as intended! I’m proud that I was able to combine my knowledge of orbital mechanics with programming to create a working simulation that visualizes something as complex as Lagrange points.
What We Learned
This project was a great opportunity to deepen my understanding of both MATLAB and orbital dynamics. I also learned how to effectively plot and visualize data in polar coordinates.
What’s Next for the Lagrange Point Calculator
Next, I want to expand the program to handle inverse calculations allowing users to input a Lagrange point position and compute the corresponding system parameters (such as mass ratios or distances). I would also like to enhance the visualization with animations and improved interactivity. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I couldn’t fully implement those features during this hackathon.
Log in or sign up for Devpost to join the conversation.