Template:Orbit

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This template allows AstRoBot to update orbital elements automatically, using data from the Heavens-Above and n2yo websites. (Note that due to recent changes to the Heavens Above website, future support for this source may be discontinued).

Do not use this template on articles for spacecraft which are not currently in Earth orbit. Please read the instructions fully before setting up automatic updates. Consider discussing updates on the article's talk page or at the WikiProject talk page beforehand to ensure AstRoBot is suitable for that article.

Usage[change source]

Before using this template, it is recommended that you begin a discussion on the article's talk page and determine whether there is a consensus for that article to contain automatically updated orbital elements.

{{Orbit|<parameter name>|<initial value>}} to display a parameter in the article
{{Orbit|<parameter name>|<initial value>|hide}} for a control parameter which is not displayed

Two control parameters; epoch and satcat are required for the bot to retrieve data. It is strongly recommended that they be displayed in the article, however the hide parameter is available if it is needed.

The template can be nested inside others, such as {{convert}} for the apogee, perigee, altitude at epoch and semi-major axis:

{{Convert|{{Orbit|<parameter name>|<initial value>}}|km|mi}}

Use of this template for spacecraft outside Earth orbit is not recommended.

Setting up[change source]

It is fairly straightforward to set the bot up for any article. Before doing so, it is strongly recommended that you notify other editors of your intention to set up automatic updates, either on the article's talk page, or the WikiProject Spaceflight talk page if several articles are affected. As a courtesy, please inform the bot's operator, WDGraham (talk · contribs), that pages have been added to the bot's run.

Only articles about individual spacecraft in Earth orbit are suitable for automatic updating.

Setting up automatic updates

Infobox parameters

Ensure the orbit_epoch field in the infobox is present and contains some kind of text, preferably an accurate epoch
Ensure the SATCAT field in the infobox is set correctly
Add auto=all, auto=general or auto=orbit or auto=none to the infobox
auto=general only updates the orbit count

auto=orbit updates all orbital parameters but not the orbit count

auto=all updates all orbital parameters and the orbit count

auto=none does not update the infobox
Add the fields you want updated to the infobox (the bot will update all the relevant fields it can find in the box)
Ensure no new references are present in any of the fields the bot is going to edit (i.e. "<ref>...</ref>") - calling existing references (e.g. "<ref name="..."/>") is fine. Old references should be moved to the article body or deleted as necessary, the bot will add its own.
(optional) Add {{Orbit}} templates to the body of the article if desired (see step 3 below)

The bot will edit {{Orbit}} templates in the body of the article regardless of which setting is used in the infobox

As long as the SATCAT, orbit_epoch and auto fields are set, the SATCAT and current epoch date can be read from the article, eliminating the need

Article body

Specify the Satellite Catalog Number (SCN)
1. If the SCN is already present in the article, add {{Orbit|satcat|<SCN>}} around it
2. If the SCN is not present but can be added to the text, add it using the same format.
3. If the SCN is not present and cannot be added, add {{Orbit|satcat|<SCN>|hide}} at the end of the article, between templates/navboxes and categories.
Replace <SCN> with the satellite's catalogue number
Specify the orbit epoch
1. This should be stated in the text to give context to the orbital elements. Specify it using {{Orbit|epoch|<date>}}
2. If you cannot state the epoch in the text, use {{Orbit|epoch|<date>|hide}} at the end of the article: however this is not recommended
Tag orbital elements to be updated
1. Use {{Orbit|<parameter name>|<initial value>}}
2. A list of parameter names can be found on Template:Orbit/doc
3. You must enter initial values manually; it is recommended that you use data from Heavens-Above for this purpose.
Add references
1. Use {{Orbit|ref|<ref name="heavens-above"/>}} - although if this reference is not already defined in the article, you will need to enter a full reference, using {{Cite web}} in the first instance of the template.

Supported parameters[change source]

Data	Parameter name	Infobox field	Units	Remarks
Argument of perigee	arg of perigee	orbit_arg_periapsis	degrees
Apogee	apogee	orbit_apoapsis	kilometres
Altitude at epoch	altitude at epoch	(none)	kilometres
Eccentricity	eccentricity	orbit_eccentricity	dimensionless
Epoch date	epoch	orbit_epoch	n/a (date)	required
Epoch time	epoch time	included in orbit_epoch	n/a (time)	Include, along with epoch, for greater precision
Inclination	inclination	orbit_inclination	degrees
Mean anomaly	mean anomaly	orbit_mean_anomaly	degrees
True anomaly	true anomaly	(none)	degrees
Eccentric anomaly	eccentric anomaly	(none)	degrees
Number of orbits completed	orbits	orbits_completed orbit_rev_number	dimensionless	Updates two infobox fields - orbits_completed is intended as a total over the spacecraft's lifetime, while rev_number is specific to the displayed elset. From the bot's perspective, using the most up-to-date information, they are identical
Perigee	perigee	periapsis	kilometres
Right ascension of the ascending node	RAAN	orbit_RAAN	degrees
Speed at epoch	speed at epoch	n/a	kilometres per second	Not suitable for eccentric orbits
Average Speed	average speed	orbit_velocity	kilometres per second
Mean motion	mean motion	orbit_mean_motion	dimensionless	Given in orbits per day
Orbital period	period	orbit_period	minutes
Semi-major axis	semimajor axis	orbit_semimajor	kilometres
Citation	ref	(none)	n/a (string)	Provides a reference to the page the orbital elements were obtained from. Must only include a reference, wrapped in <ref> tags
Satellite Catalog Number	satcat	SATCAT	n/a (string)	Required, not updated (constant) - used to identify satellite
Data source	datasource	n/a	n/a	HN, NH, H or N Specifies whether the bot uses Heavens-Above (H) or n2yo (N) for orbit data, and if both are selected the order of preference. Defaults to NH (n2yo then heavens-above)