nyx

Nyx is a high fidelity, fast, reliable and validated astrodynamics toolkit library written in Rust and available in Python.

The target audience is mission designers, astrodynamics engineers/hobbyists, and GNC engineers. The rationale for using Rust is to allow for very fast computations, guaranteed thread safety, and portability to all platforms supported by Rust.

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License

The AGPLv3 LICENSE is enforced.

Features

Propagation

• Propagation with different Runge Kutta methods (validated in GMAT)
• Convenient and explicit definition of the dynamics for a simulation (cf. tests/orbitaldyn.rs)
• Propagation to different stopping conditions
• Detect orbital events in other frames

Dynamical models

• Multibody dynamics using XB files
• Finite burns with fuel depletion (including low thrust / ion propulsion)
• Sub-Optimal Control of continuous thrust (e.g. Ruggerio, Petropoulos/Q-law)
• Solar radiation pressure modeling
• Basic drag models (cannonball)
• Spherical harmonics
• Spacecraft attitude control and some useful optimal control algorithms

Orbit determination

• Statistical Orbit Determination: Classical and Extended Kalman Filter
• Orbit Determination with multibody dynamics
• Smoothing and iterations of CKFs
• Square Root Information Filer (SRIF) (removed in version 1.0.0-alpha.1)
• An easy-to-use OD user interface
• Estimation with spherical harmonics enabled
• Solar radiation pressure (SRP) parameter estimation (#98)
• Covariance mapping and estimate frame transformations
• State noise compensation (SNC)
• Dynamic model compensation (DMC) (#86)
• High fidelity ground station placement

Celestial computations

• Orbital state manipulation
• Planetary and Solar eclipse and visibility computation
• Light-time corrections and aberrations
• Frame rotations

Who am I?

An astrodynamics engineer with a heavy background in software. I currently work for Rocket Lab USA on the GNC of the Blue Ghost lunar lander. -- Find me on LinkedIn.