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Computing observation geometry for small satellitesMost solar system science missions need a variety of observation geometry–quantities such as position and velocity, range and altitude, viewing latitude and longitude, and lighting angles– to support mission engineering, science
planning, and science data analysis activities. NASA's "SPICE" system offers one popular, multi-mission means for doing just that. SPICE comprises both data files, called kernels, and a SPICE software Toolkit that is available in
many popular languages. A mission operations center produces the SPICE kernel files. Scientists and engineers write their own applications programs to address some need, and they include a few SPICE subroutines within that code to do the needed geometry computations. The SPICE system has been in use throughout NASA’s planetary science mission domain since 1991, and it has slowly spread to most major space agencies around the globe since then. The SPICE software is available in most popular languages, and for most popular platforms. The code is thoroughly tested before being released, and new versions of the Toolkit are always backwards compatible. The SPICE components are freely offered to everyone, and have no export, licensing or similar restrictions. Maybe using SPICE would work for your CubeSat or SmallSat mission?
Document ID
20210012351
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Acton, Charles H.
Date Acquired
August 5, 2019
Publication Date
August 5, 2019
Publication Information
Publisher: Pasadena, CA: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2019
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Technical Review

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