MacSPOC¬: Macintosh¿ Spacecraft Personal Orbit Computations
MacSPOC v1.1 Copyright ⌐ Daniel R. Adamo 1990
Dan Adamo is a certified Apple Associate with 8 years' experience in developing space mission planning and analysis software for the Macintosh. His latest project, MacSPOC, flew aboard the Space Shuttle for the third time in October 1992. MacSPOC keeps users apprised of the Shuttle's current location on a world map and updates several digital displays, such as mission elapsed time, in real time.
For the past 3 years, Dan has been uploading daily trajectory updates during Shuttle missions to MacSPOC users on AppleLink¿, America OnLine¿, and Internet. After one of these "checkpoint" updates is downloaded as a MacSPOC document, it's just a matter of opening it. Users are then placed "in synch" with the Shuttle mission to the accuracy of their system clocks. No data entry is necessary.
The latest version of the software, MacSPOC v1.5, is now commercially available from Dan. To promote this product, Dan is offering space enthusiasts the opportunity to use a previous version of MacSPOC. The configuration, called v1.1, is approximately 4 years old. It's a 40% subset of what's available commercially, but "test drivers" will get a good idea of MacSPOC's look and feel.
The MacSPOC v1.1 application is available in 2 variations. The first, called "MacSPOC", *requires* a 6888x floating point unit (FPU). It runs as much as 100 times faster than the second variation, called "MacSPOC+". Use MacSPOC+ with Macintosh models such as the Plus, SE, Classic, and LC. On models with 68040 or 68LC040 processors, use "MacSPOC+" with cache memory OFF. Power PC models can also execute "MacSPOC+" in emulation mode. Either variation will run if 750 kilobytes of RAM are available before loading. Both are compatible with System 6.x and later.
Those who wish to take advantage of the MacSPOC v1.1 offer should be aware of the following terms.
1) Users may distribute v1.1 as long as no money changes hands.
2) Any user wishing free checkpoint uploads must supply Dan with an electronic mail address accessible from AppleLink, America Online, or Internet. Because v1.1 is no longer directly supported by uploads, the "Convert2v1.1" utility is included to create v1.1 checkpoints from the v1.5 checkpoints downloaded.
A free v1.5 brochure can be obtained from Dan by supplying your mailing address to him.
Dan Adamo
Phone: (713) 480-9631
AppleLink Address: D3176
America Online Address: AdamoD
Internet Address: Adamo@KN5F.jsc.nasa.gov
Postal Address: 4203 Moonlight Shadow Ct., Houston, TX 77059
A quick hypothetical demo of MacSPOC displays can be obtained with the following steps. First, if a file named "MacSPOC.cp" exists in the folder occupied by MacSPOC, delete it, rename it, or drag it elsewhere. Next, open (double-click) the MacSPOC application and await appearance of a dialog box with "Edit Liftoff GMT" as its heading. Click the "Check SV..." button, then click the "Save" button. A new dialog will appear, asking "Ready to Propagate State Vector?". Click the "Go!" button in this dialog, and you'll be off and running.
At some point prior to tracking a real satellite, you should be sure your Macintosh system clock is set accurately via the Control Panel. Then select "Time Zone..." from MacSPOC's "Update" menu. Click the radio button which pertains to the time zone your system clock is keeping, then click the "Save" button. Unless you reinstall MacSPOC, you'll need to repeat this procedure only when you change time zones in your system clock, as when you "fall back" to standard time the last Sunday in October.
