Orbital Propagation
High-accuracy trajectory modelling validated against real TLE data from publicly available sources. The goal is to reproduce documented satellite paths, not approximate them visually.
Space research
software, built
for everyone.
KNOWN Corporation develops professional-grade space simulation and orbital analysis tools. We build for researchers, engineers, and institutions that need accurate, accessible software to model, analyse, and understand what happens above the atmosphere.
Our work is grounded in physics. Our ambition is global.
Orbital simulation
software for serious work.
KNOWN builds a physics engine and simulation platform designed to meet the accuracy standards that researchers and aerospace engineers actually require. The same engine that powers our professional research tool also drives our accessible simulation experiences — because rigour and accessibility are not opposites.
Mission Analysis
Plan and analyse space missions from low Earth orbit to interplanetary trajectories. Model delta-V manoeuvres, atmospheric drag, and gravitational perturbations.
Accessible by Design
The same physics that serves a researcher at an institute also powers simulation experiences for people encountering orbital mechanics for the first time.
Platform
One engine.
Three uses.
The KNOWN simulation engine is a single physics system — accurate, scalable, and architecturally honest. No fixed centre point. Any body in the simulation can serve as the reference frame. The engine handles low Earth orbit and interplanetary distances on the same mathematical foundation.
View the Platform
01
Research & Analysis Tool
For engineers, researchers, and institutions. Input real ephemeris or TLE data, run orbital propagations, model manoeuvres, and export results. Designed for professional work.
02
Arcade Mode
Trajectory challenges, timing puzzles, and mission scenarios grounded in the same physics as the research tool. Engagement without weakening the underlying model.
03
Cinematic Missions
Story-driven space experiences with narrative, timeline, and consequence. Built for anyone who has looked up and wondered what it would take to get there.
Context
Africa's space economy
is growing. The tools
need to keep up.
Africa's space sector is no longer a distant possibility. The African Space Agency was inaugurated at Egypt Space City in Cairo on 20 April 2025, and the latest Space in Africa reporting maps hundreds of active commercial space companies across the continent.
The infrastructure is being built. The ambition is real. What is still needed is the software layer — simulation tools, analysis platforms, and environments where the next generation of aerospace engineers can test understanding before it becomes hardware.
$24.95B
African space economy valuation, 2024
321+
Active African NewSpace companies mapped in 2025
36
African countries with active commercial space companies
2025
African Space Agency headquarters inaugurated
Sources: Space in Africa 2025 industry reporting via TechReviewAfrica, Space in Africa African NewSpace Industry Report 2025, and African Space Agency.
Technology
Physics first.
Always.
The foundation of everything KNOWN builds is a physics engine written in C++ and rendered with OpenGL. We are building from first principles — gravity, orbital perturbations, atmospheric drag, and thrust modelling — with accuracy verified against documented satellite data.
N-Body Architecture
No hardcoded centre of mass. Every body in the simulation exists as an equal participant. The reference frame is selectable, and the same architecture scales from LEO to interplanetary distances.
TLE Validation
Accuracy claims require evidence. The engine is tested against public TLE data from verified orbital data sources. If the simulation diverges from a documented trajectory, the physics has to be corrected.
Perturbation Modelling
Earth's J2 oblateness, atmospheric drag altitude profiles, and third-body gravitational effects from the Sun and Moon are part of the practical forces that determine satellite motion.
Get Involved
The simulation platform
launches in 2026.
If you represent a research institution, university, or aerospace organisation and want early access — or if you simply want to follow what we are building — leave your details below.
We will reach out directly before the platform opens. No newsletters without permission.
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