IO.Astrodynamics

A modern .NET astrodynamics toolkit powered by NASA/JPL NAIF SPICE. IO.Astrodynamics delivers SPICE accuracy with a productive .NET API; a thin, stable C++ layer provides fast interop with CSPICE.

Important: The C++ layer is feature-frozen and exists only for communication with SPICE. All new features and APIs will land in the .NET projects.

Developer Guide - Comprehensive API reference with code examples, units, and best practices.

What you can do

• Work with SPICE kernels and star catalogs
• Export simulations to Cosmographia
• Manage PDS archives (generate, materialize objects, validate against XML schemas)
• Ephemerides and propagation
  • Spacecraft propagator: EGM2008 geopotential gravity (up to degree/order 70, validated against STK HPOP), atmospheric drag with co-rotation (Earth, Mars), solar radiation pressure with Cr and continuous shadow fraction, n-body perturbations, dynamic mass, impulsive maneuvers, fuel balance
  • Small-body propagator: geopotential (Earth), atmospheric drag (Earth, Mars), SRP, n-body
• Atmospheric modeling
  • Unified API via IAtmosphericModel interface with Atmosphere result record
  • Earth: U.S. Standard Atmosphere 1976 (simple), NRLMSISE-00 (high-fidelity with space weather)
  • Mars: Standard analytical model
  • Automatic model selection (Earth uses NRLMSISE-00 when full context available)
• Orbital parameters: compute/convert State Vector, TLE, Equinoctial, Keplerian (mean and osculating)
• CCSDS OMM support: read/write CCSDS Orbit Mean-elements Messages (NDM/XML format), bidirectional OMM↔TLE conversion
• CCSDS OPM support: read/write CCSDS Orbit Parameter Messages with state vectors, Keplerian elements, covariance, maneuvers, and user-defined parameters; bidirectional OPM↔Spacecraft conversion
• Mean elements support: OMM data import, TLE creation with precision preservation
• Compute TLE from state vectors with SGP4-compatible fitting
• Frames and coordinates: ICRF/J2000, Ecliptic (J2000/B1950), TEME, Galactic, FK4, body-fixed/ITRF93, Equatorial/Horizontal/Planetodetic/Planetographic
• Spacecraft configuration: clocks, fuel tanks, engines, instruments
• Impulsive maneuvers: Lambert transfers, apogee/perigee height changes, plane/apsidal alignment, phasing, combined maneuvers
• Attitudes: instrument pointing, nadir/zenith, prograde/retrograde, TRIAD (fully-constrained 3-DOF)
• Time systems: Calendar, Julian, TDB, UTC, local; conversions included
• Event finding: distance, occultation, coordinate, illumination constraints; instrument field-of-view windows
• Kernel management utilities
• Math helpers: vectors, matrices, planes, quaternions, Jacobians, interpolation (Lagrange), geodesy-normalized Legendre functions with derivatives, SLERP/LERP
• Use via CLI for common tasks (props, conversions, info queries)

How it works

• SPICE data: You supply NAIF kernels (ephemerides, planetary constants, leap seconds, mission data)
• Native bridge: A small C++ interop library talks to CSPICE for performance-critical calls (frozen API)
• .NET SDK: Rich, evolving API surface for scenarios, modeling, and utilities
• CLI: Command-line tools built on the .NET SDK for quick analyses

Links:

• SPICE concept: https://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/naif/spiceconcept.html
• SPICE data: https://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/naif/data.html

Install (.NET)

This package is on NuGet: https://www.nuget.org/packages/IO.Astrodynamics/

Install into your project:

 dotnet add package IO.Astrodynamics

Requirements:

• Supported OS: Windows and Linux x64 (native CSPICE interop is bundled)
• SPICE kernels: you must load the kernels required for your computations

Quick start (C#)

Load kernels once at startup, then query ephemerides, frames, and more.

// Load required kernels (recursively) from your data directory
API.Instance.LoadKernels(new DirectoryInfo("<your path containing data>"));

// Example: Moon ephemeris at 2000-01-01T12:00Z in ICRF with Earth as center
var earth = new CelestialBody(PlanetsAndMoons.EARTH);
var moon  = new CelestialBody(PlanetsAndMoons.MOON);
var epoch = new TimeSystem.Time(new DateTime(2000, 1, 1, 12, 0, 0), TimeFrame.UTCFrame);
var eph   = moon.GetEphemeris(epoch, earth, Frames.Frame.ICRF, Aberration.None);

More examples: https://github.com/IO-Aerospace-software-engineering/Astrodynamics.Net/wiki/Examples

Using the CLI

A CLI is included in the repository for quick tasks (propagation, conversions, info queries, event finding).

• Build and show help:

 dotnet run --project IO.Astrodynamics.Net/IO.Astrodynamics.CLI -- --help

• Typical commands include: sub-observer point, angular separation, orientation, orbital/frame/time conversions, event window finding (distance, occultation, FoV, illumination).

Getting SPICE data

You need to provide the kernels relevant to your scenario. Common sets:

• Leap seconds (e.g., naif0012.tls)
• Planetary constants (e.g., pck files)
• Ephemerides (e.g., de430.bsp, planetary/spacecraft SPKs)
• Frames and spacecraft clocks as needed

Organize them in a directory and load them recursively:

API.Instance.LoadKernels(new DirectoryInfo("Data/SolarSystem"));

Native C++ interop (frozen)

The native C++ library exists only as a high-performance bridge to CSPICE. It won’t receive new features. If you need to link it directly:

• Download prebuilt binaries from Releases: https://github.com/IO-Aerospace-software-engineering/Astrodynamics/releases
• Linux: install headers to /usr/local/include/IO and libIO.Astrodynamics.so to /usr/local/lib
• Windows: place IO.Astrodynamics.dll/.lib alongside your app and include headers

Note: Prefer the .NET SDK for all new work.

Build status and coverage

Sponsoring

Building and sustaining a .NET-first astrodynamics toolkit on top of SPICE takes significant effort across:

• Keeping pace with SPICE releases and kernel updates
• Evolving the .NET API, CLI, and documentation
• Cross-platform packaging and CI (Windows/Linux)
• Extensive tests, validation against reference data, and performance work
• New features and scenarios (propagators, event finders, attitudes, PDS tooling, Cosmographia export)
• Community support, triage, and example curation

How you can help:

• Sponsor the project via GitHub Sponsors to fund ongoing development and maintenance
• Company sponsorships to prioritize features, integrations, or support
• Back specific issues or improvements; contribute kernel sets, scenarios, or docs
• Provide infrastructure (CI minutes/compute) or test hardware when relevant

Where funds go:

• .NET SDK and CLI development (the native C++ bridge is feature-frozen)
• Documentation, tutorials, and examples
• Validation datasets and automated QA
• Release engineering, packaging, and platform support

Sponsor: https://github.com/sponsors/IO-Aerospace-software-engineering

Contributing

• We welcome contributions to the .NET SDK, CLI, docs, and tests. The native layer accepts only fixes and perf/stability improvements.
• Please read CONTRIBUTING.md and follow the code of conduct.

Disclaimer

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.

IO.Astrodynamics is distributed under the GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1 (LGPL-2.1). By using this software, you acknowledge and agree that:

• The software is provided without any warranty, express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose
• The authors and contributors are not liable for any damages, losses, or consequences arising from the use or inability to use this software
• Users are solely responsible for validating all results before use in any application
• This software is NOT certified for flight-critical, safety-critical, or life-critical applications
• Independent verification and validation (IV&V) is required before use in operational mission planning or spacecraft operations
• Results should be cross-checked against authoritative sources (e.g., JPL Horizons, STK, GMAT) for critical applications

The algorithms implemented are based on publicly available literature and the NAIF SPICE toolkit. While we strive for accuracy, computational results may contain errors. You assume all risk associated with using this software.

See the LICENSE file for complete terms.

License and acknowledgments

• License: LGPL-2.1 (see LICENSE)
• Security: See SECURITY.md
• Built on NASA/JPL NAIF SPICE. SPICE is developed by the Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility (NAIF) at JPL.