--- title: About Orekit excerpt: Orekit is a low level space dynamics library date: 2019-08-17 00:30:10 +02:00 modified: 2024-05-15 12:15:05 +02:00 layout: home_orekit ---

What is it?

Orekit, a low level space dynamics library written in Java, has gained widespread recognition since it was released under an open source license in 2008.

Space dynamics library

Orekit aims at providing accurate and efficient low level components for the development of flight dynamics applications. It is designed to be easily used in very different contexts, from quick studies up to critical operations.

As a library, Orekit provides basic elements (orbits, dates, attitude, frames…) and various algorithms to handle them (conversions, propagations, pointing…).

Java & Python APIs

Orekit is developed in Java. As Python is widely used in the scientific world, one of our awesome contributors has created and maintains a Python wrapper. Choose your side and enjoy!

Free (open source) software

Orekit is freely available both in source and binary formats, with all related documentation and tests.

Orekit is distributed under the Apache License version 2.0, a well known business-friendly license. This means anybody can use it to build any application, free or not. There are no strings attached to user code.

Who is using it?

Who is behind it?

Development

Orekit has been in development since 2002 inside CS GROUP and is still used and maintained by its space dynamics experts. Several major actors of space research and industry are now involved into this project.

This project follows the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) development best practices identified by the Core Infrastructure Initiative:

Core Infrastructure Initiative (CII) badge

We do our best to provide you with a quality code:

quality gate status code coverage status

Open governance

The Orekit project is driven according to an open governance model, involving representatives from different space field actors in a Project Management Committee (PMC).

PMC members