The eos3d-mpl library is a lightweight orbital mechanics calculation and visualization suite based on matplotlib. It includes orbit visualization, SPACETRACK Two-Line Element retrieval and current satellite position visualization, Solar System orbits and planetary position visualizations and real-time n-body simulations.

Installation

eos3d-mpl runs on Python3 versions starting from 3.4 and requires the following libraries for full functioning:

• matplotlib
• scipy
• numpy
• pandas
• pycurl (otional for getTLE)
• python-sgp4 (optional for SGP4 propagation)

For quick installation use the following pip command:

$ pip install matplotlib pandas scipy numpy pycurl sgp4

Quick start

For starters, a simple orbit can be created using the following command:

from eos3dmpl import eos_core

# Initialize Eos class and viewport
eos = eos_core.Eos()
eos.view_init()

# Add orbit with semi-major axis of 10000 km, eccentricy of 0.2 and inclination of 30 degrees
eos.orbit(a=10000,e=0.2,i=30)

# Add previous orbit to viewport and view result
eos.kepler()
eos.view()

Many more examples can be found in the attached Jupyter notebook (WIP).

Further reading

For more in-depth information on eos3d-mpl, be sure to check out the docs/documentation.pdf file (still a work-in-progress).

NOTE: The documentation refers to eos3d-mpl as EOS, as it was envisioned to be the final form of the library at the time. Now, however, an OpenGL python3-based implementation of the library, with extended capabilities, is being developed. Its name is slated to be EOS3D.

An exhaustive documentation page is planned in the future.