Getting Started

This guide describes the recommended first workflow for a new ASTROLAB mission study.

1. Understand the Project Model

ASTROLAB projects are organized around an asset registry. Assets are not just visual objects; they are the source of truth for mission configuration. Analyses reference assets by GUID, store their own configuration, and then write structured results back into the project.

flowchart LR
    R["Asset Registry"] --> S["Spacecraft"]
    R --> F["Facility"]
    R --> T["Target"]
    R --> M["Mounted Assets"]
    R --> A["Analysis Assets"]

    S --> M
    M --> SE["Sensors"]
    M --> AN["Antennas"]
    S --> P["Power Assets"]

    A --> C["Coverage Results"]
    A --> L["Link Results"]
    A --> PW["Power Results"]
    A --> LT["Lifetime Results"]

2. Define the Scenario Interval

The scenario interval is the default time domain for most analyses. When an analysis says it uses the scenario interval, its timeline is derived from the scenario start and end dates plus the analysis step size.

Concept	Meaning
Scenario start	Beginning of the mission time span.
Scenario end	End of the mission time span.
Analysis step	Sampling interval used by an analysis service.
Native asset bounds	Optional asset-specific validity interval, such as an ephemeris or vehicle trajectory.

3. Create Core Assets

A typical first mission includes:

Asset	Why it is needed
Spacecraft	Provides orbit, attitude, mass, drag area, SRP area, and propagation assumptions.
Facility or target	Provides a ground endpoint for visibility, communication, or coverage validation.
Sensor	Provides field-of-view geometry for observation or coverage analysis.
Antenna	Provides RF gain pattern and pointing for link budget calculations.
Transmitter and receiver	Provide RF source, bandwidth, data rate, noise, and tracking definitions.
Solar array and battery	Provide power generation and storage inputs for power analysis.

4. Configure Constraints

Constraints restrict access or analysis validity. They can be attached to spacecraft, facilities, sensors, antennas, or vehicles depending on type.

Common examples:

• Elevation constraints for ground facilities.
• Range constraints for link or access geometry.
• Eclipse state constraints for sunlight-dependent operations.
• Altitude constraints for orbit-dependent mission phases.
• Sun zenith angle constraints for target illumination conditions.

5. Run an Analysis

Create an analysis asset, select the required dependencies, choose modelling options, and run it. ASTROLAB stores results in a consistent structure:

Result key	Purpose
payload	Detailed structured outputs used by plots and reports.
summary	Compact high-level result values.
artifacts	Optional generated geometry, grids, or extra products.

6. Inspect and Iterate

After computation:

1. Check the summary first.
2. Inspect plots for discontinuities or unexpected values.
3. Review report tables.
4. Use the 2D/3D viewers to validate geometry.
5. Refine assumptions and rerun.

Professional mission analysis is iterative. Treat the first result as a diagnostic, not the final answer.