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Old 04-06-2022, 12:36 PM   #3
thrash
 
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: traveller
Default Re: Space Logistics: Space Distances and Comms

Travel time depends on a host of variables. I'm not aware of any pre-packaged system that will calculate it for you. For positions, however:

Go to the JPL Horizon's web interface ( https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons/app.html#/ ).

Set the ephemeris type to "vector table."
Set the target body to whatever object you're looking for. The system is smart enough to understand common names, and numbers for asteroids.
Set the coordinate center as "solar system barycenter" or "500@0."
Enter the date or range of dates of interest.
Edit the output units under table settings to "au and days."

Hit "Generate Ephemeris." The output tables are underneath all the header data and a key.

This will give you an accurate location for any solar system body (and a few human artifacts), in Cartesian (x, y, z) coordinates. The only drawbacks are (a) you have to request one body at a time, and (b) if you want polar coordinates, you have to convert by hand.

You can get positions relative to a different body (e.g., Jupiter for its moons) by changing the coordinate center.

The system is extremely flexible, especially if you use one of the other interfaces, but how useful that is depends on how comfortable you are with astrometrical data.

Last edited by thrash; 04-06-2022 at 12:43 PM.
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