What is Orbital Academy?

Orbital Academy is a free, interactive learning platform built into Orbital Radar. It offers 11 training tracks with 66 slide-deck lessons covering orbital mechanics, satellite tracking, space weather, debris, conjunctions and more — from beginner to intermediate level.

Is Orbital Academy free?

Yes — Orbital Academy is completely free with no ads or paywalls. You can try sample lessons without logging in. Creating a free crew account lets you save progress and unlock all training tracks.

What topics does Orbital Academy cover?

Topics include orbit basics (LEO, MEO, GEO), orbital mechanics, TLE data and satellite tracking, space weather (KP index, solar wind, CMEs, auroras), space debris and conjunctions, re-entry prediction, satellite constellations, space situational awareness, launch mechanics and more.

Orbital Academy — Learn Orbits, Satellites & Space Weather

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Orbit Basics

Altitude, inclination, periods, and why satellites move the way they do.

Beginner 6 lessons

~35 min total

01 • LEO vs MEO vs GEO

02 • Inclination & Ground Tracks

+ 4 more lessons

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After this: you’ll be able to explain why GEO “hangs” over one longitude.

CONCEPT

ORBIT GEOMETRY

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Space Weather

KP index, solar wind, CMEs, auroras — and what it means for Earth.

Beginner 6 lessons

~45 min total

01 • KP Index (what it measures)

02 • Solar Wind (speed, density, IMF)

+ 4 more lessons

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After this: you’ll understand what KP actually measures (and what it doesn’t).

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Debris & Re-entry

What debris is, why it’s dangerous, and how re-entries are predicted.

Beginner 6 lessons

~40 min total

01 • What counts as debris

02 • Conjunctions (close approaches)

+ 4 more lessons

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After this: you’ll know why re-entry predictions shift and how to interpret them.

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Tracking & TLEs

TLEs, epochs, propagation, and what “accuracy” really means.

Beginner 6 lessons

~45 min total

01 • What a TLE really is

02 • Epochs, drag & decay

+ 4 more lessons

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After this: you’ll read a TLE/epoch and understand “accuracy” limits.

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Ground Tracks & Coverage

The “aha” moment: why tracks shift, revisit time, footprints, and SSO.

Beginner 6 lessons

~55 min total

01 • What a ground track is

02 • Inclination: why north/south

+ 4 more lessons

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After this: you’ll explain why tracks shift each orbit — instantly.

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Constellations & Orbits in Practice

Planes, shells, spacing — and why modern orbit reality is “many satellites”.

Beginner 6 lessons

~55 min total

01 • Planes, spacing, shells

02 • Altitude vs coverage tradeoff

+ 4 more lessons

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After this: you’ll understand why shells fill over time.

CONCEPT

SHELL DESIGN

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Launch → Orbit

Why launches matter: speed vs height, parking orbits, and early-orbit chaos.

Beginner 6 lessons

~55 min total

01 • Speed, not height

02 • Inclination from launch site

+ 4 more lessons

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After this: launch trajectories will “click” on the globe.

⚙️

Orbital Maneuvers & Station-Keeping

Can satellites “turn”? Learn maneuvers, transfers, and what changes in TLEs.

Intermediate 6 lessons

~60 min total

01 • What a maneuver is

02 • Hohmann transfers

+ 4 more lessons

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After this: you’ll spot maneuver signatures without guessing intent.

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Conjunctions & Collision Avoidance

Miss distance, uncertainty, screening windows, and how risk is managed calmly.

Beginner 6 lessons

~55 min total

01 • What a conjunction is

02 • Miss distance + uncertainty

+ 4 more lessons

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After this: you’ll read risk calmly (no headlines).

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Satellite Missions 101

What satellites actually do: comms, EO, science, nav — and how orbit reveals clues.

Beginner 6 lessons

~55 min total

01 • Comms vs EO vs science

02 • Why some look stationary

+ 4 more lessons

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After this: you’ll know what you’re looking at.

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Re-entry Deep Dive

Level 2: drag uncertainty, breakup, corridors, controlled vs uncontrolled — and sane public guidance.

Intermediate 6 lessons

~55 min total

01 • Why predictions shift

02 • Breakup + survivability

+ 4 more lessons

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After this: you’ll decode re-entry updates like a pro.