STK 12.2 is packed with new features and improvements including rendezvous and proximity operation (RPO) sequences, Python API enhancements, new video format options, and more.

  • Rendezvous and Proximity Operation (RPO) sequences. STK Astrogator now includes dozens of pre-configured sequences that you can insert into an MCS to support complex rendezvous and proximity operations.
  • Jupyter Notebook implementation inside STK. With STK Integration, you can now use Jupyter Notebook to write Python scripts directly inside STK to automate, analyze, and extend scenarios.
  • Expanded Python API. STK Integration's Python API now supports STK events and provides access to the globe and map controls.
  • Make movies faster with parallel computing. STK now includes the option to record movies in parallel using STK Parallel Computing (also, see Parallel Computing Server on Linux).
  • Support for the latest popular video formats. The STK movie maker can produce videos using the latest format standards, including H.264.
  • Access to STK EOIR’s atmospheric database in STK Communications. The MODTRAN-based propagation model enables you to model laser communication links using a higher fidelity laser propagation loss model.
  • Expanded RF metrics for STK Communications links. You can now select communication links based on geometric conditions and RF metrics: maximum received isotropic power (RIP) or maximum carrier to noise ratio (C/N).
  • (beta) The Satellite Collection object. This object — available in STK 12.2 as a beta capability — can model thousands of satellites in a single scenario entity to provide basic visualization, a minimal memory footprint, and efficient save and load operations. Contact the support team if you are interested in evaluating this capability.

STK 12.2 Overview

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Important New Features

Rendezvous and Proximity Operations sequences

STK Astrogator now includes dozens of pre-configured sequences — including collections of configuration, differential forces, forced motion, matched forces, rendezvous, and specialized RBar and VBar sequences — that you can insert into an MCS to support complex rendezvous and proximity operations. These sequences reflect the knowledge of decades of operational experience from RPO experts and enable operators to jump into RPO design, analysis, and operations activities with dramatically reduced spin-up time.

Access to STK EOIR’s atmospheric database

STK EOIR's atmospheric database is now available for use with STK Communications. The MODTRAN-based propagation model enables you to model laser communication links using a higher fidelity laser propagation loss model. The MODTRAN output parameters include transmittance.

Image from EOIR , AGI

Movie making enhancements

The Movie Timeline Plugin now includes the option to record movies in parallel using STK Parallel Computing. When recording in parallel, STK uses multiple computing nodes to animate different segments of the video simultaneously. As worker processes finish recording their share of frames, STK ensures proper sequencing and encodes the resulting image files into a video as they become available. We’ve also added two new codecs, H.264 and Apple ProRes. H.264 produces high quality videos while keeping file sizes small. Apple ProRes helps you edit your videos after they’ve been created.

Python API enhancements

You can now use Jupyter Notebook in STK. This enables you to write Python scripts directly inside STK to automate, analyze, and extend STK scenarios. In addition, the Python API has been extended to provide access to scenario, object, and graphics events, and to the map and globe controls.

Expanded RF metrics for STK Communications links

When modeling communications system links, you may want to select a transmitter based on more conditions than just geometry. These conditions can include terrain, antenna pointing direction, transmit power, directional gain patterns, the amount of noise in the environment, and more. Previously, you could only select a link based on simple geometry, such as minimum range and maximum elevation angle. Now, you can select communication links based on geometric conditions and RF metrics: Maximum Received Isotropic Power (RIP) or Maximum Carrier to Noise Ratio (C/N).

The Satellite Collection object

Working with hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of satellites and associated sub-systems can be daunting, strain the capabilities of analysis tools, and lead to scenarios where the analysis goals are obscured by the sheer volume of objects. As a first step in improving analyses involving large numbers of objects, STK 12.2 introduces the Satellite Collection object — available as a beta capability — for modeling large satellite constellations. This object can model thousands of satellites in a single scenario entity, providing basic visualization, a minimal memory footprint, and efficient save and load operations. Use the Satellite Collection object for your coverage, conjunction assessment, deck access, and communication interference analyses.