API Definition

Version 0.1

Overview of the input/output requirements for VECTOR. The typical frontend workflow will be (1) a call to the /geometry endpoint to get a unique id, followed by (2) a call to the /singlepoint/:id endpoint with the desired input parameters to compute all of the output values. Finally, (3) a call to the /image/:id endpoint will return an image of the satellite geometry that was used in the computations.

Endpoints

• /geometry : POST

  This endpoint is for uploading files and accepts a VRML .wrl file. It will return a unique id to be associated with the upload.

• /geometry/sat_name : POST

  This endpoint says we want the requested satellite's geometry file that we already have locally, so there is no need to upload a file. This endpoint will return a unique id to be associated with the requested satellite.

  The named satellites available are:

  • sorce, the SORCE satellite
  • cubesat1u, a 1U CubeSat
  • deployable3u, a 3U CubeSat with solar panels

• /singlepoint/:id : POST

  This endpoint receives the JSON data from the frontend website and makes the call to Matlab to produce the output results. It returns a JSON dictionary of the calculated values. The /geometry endpoint must be called before this.

• /image/:id : GET

  This endpoint returns the image that was produced for the requested id. The /singlepoint/:id endpoint must be called before this.

Inputs

objectType: string

cylinder, sphere, plate, custom

diameter: float

The diameter of the object [m], must be positive

length: float

The length of the object [m], must be positive

area: float

The area of the object [m^2], must be positive

pitch: float

Pitch angle of the object [deg], must be between -90 and 90

sideslip: float

Sideslip angle of the object [deg], must be between -180 and 180

temperature: float

Ambient temperature of the atmosphere [K], must be positive

speed: float

Speed of the object [m/s], must be positive

composition: dictionary

Number density composition of atmospheric constituents [/m3], must be positive


O: float

O2: float

N2: float

He: float

H: float

accommodationModel: string

SESAM, Goodman, Fixed

surfaceMass: float

Surface mass of the object [amu], must be 1 or greater

energyAccommodation: float

Energy accommodation value for the object [-], must be between 0 and 1

Example Input Payload

{
"objectType": "sphere",
"diameter": 1.212,
"length": 2.5,
"area": 0,
"pitch": 30,
"sideslip": 0,
"temperature": 1200.5,
"speed": 7800.45,
"composition": {"O": 1e11,
                "O2": 1e6,
                "N2": 1e6,
                "He": 1e6,
                "H": 1e4},
"accommodationModel": "SESAM",
"energyAccommodation": 0.93,
"surfaceMass": 65}
}

Outputs

dragCoefficient: float

The coefficient of drag of the object [-]

projectedArea: float

The projected area of the object [m2]

forceCoefficent: float

The force coefficient of the object [m2]

Example Output Payload

{
"dragCoefficient": 2.7965,
"energyAccommodation": 0.3895,
"projectedArea": 1.1537,
"forceCoefficient": 3.2264
}