Mathcad Community Challenge March 2026 - The Two Body Problem! Sir Isaac Newton
This month’s challenge is inspired by one of the great unsolvable challenges of physics, the Three Body Problem. Of course, we won’t be asking you to perform the impossible in Mathcad Prime. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is the Two Body Problem for orbital mechanics.
Earth-satellite two body problem
Challenge 1: Create the math functions and programs that can calculate the position, velocity, and acceleration of a Mazda Miata-sized satellite in orbit around the earth. (Why a Mazda Miata? It was my first and only car. Feel free to substitute a car of your choice.)
Choose your orbital parameters for altitude (e.g., medium-earth, geosynchronous, high-earth), inclination, eccentricity, and any other factors.
Challenge 2 (optional): Incorporate advanced input controls to change the orbital parameters.
Challenge 3: Graph the x-, y-, and z-values for acceleration versus time. Create additional graphs for velocity and positio
