PyRAA
Python Restricted Astronomy and Astrodynamics

Open-source Python package for dynamical systems analysis of restricted multi-body models

Thanks for checking out PyRAA! The Python Restricted Astronomy and Astrodynamics library was developed to aid researchers in dynamical astronomy and multi-body astrodynamics with routine calculations in restricted multi-body models.

PyRAA Core Functionality

  • Circular and Elliptical Restricted Three-body dynamical models

  • Variable precision Runge-Kutta numerical integration

  • Flexible and advanced plotting capabilities

  • Differential corrections targeting algorithms

  • Numerical continuation schemes

  • Poincaré map generation

What is a restricted multi-body model?

A restricted multi-body model is a simplification of the gravitational N-body problem. The model assumes that the particle of interest is massless and subject to the gravitational influce of two or more other bodies. The massive bodies move in predictable 2-body motion, while the particle of interest is studied under the dynamics of two or more gravitational interactions.

Examples:

  • Circular Restricted Three-body Problem (CRT3BP)

  • Elliptical Restricted Three-body Problem (ERT3BP)

  • Bicircular Restricted Four-body Problem (BCR4BP)

What are restricted multi-body models used for?

Restricted multi-body models are most useful when studying the effects of multiple gravitational fields on a body that is relatively small compared to the influencing masses.

  • Earth-Moon spacecraft trajectory design

  • Circumbinary exoplanet orbital dynamics

  • Dust particles in at solar system with a giant planet

Important

New Features!

  • numba accelerated computations, integration time peformance boost, 10x faster

  • pyraa.Targeter object oriented differential corrections and eigenspectrum analysis

  • inertial coordinates saved as sat attribute

Note

The primary use-case for PyRAA is dynamical systems analysis of restricted multi-body models used in astrodynamics and dynamical astronomy.

PyRAA does not have functionality similar to other orbital dynamics software such as REBOUND, poliastro, STK, etc.

Not supported features

  • N-body integration

  • 2-body orbital dynamics

  • Lambert solver

  • General coordinate transformations

Author

Drew Langford

Email

langfora@purdue.edu

Contents:

Indices and tables