Spaceflight Data

What Is Spaceflight Data?

Spaceflight data enables aerospace flights, both manned and unmanned. This includes records of past flights as well as the current locations and trajectories of active satellites and spacecraft.

As with much space-related data, the military generates most of the information and releases much of it to the public. However, private companies are increasingly becoming major players in the spaceflight industry, even scoring contracts with government programs.

Where Does Spaceflight Data Come From?

As noted above, most of this data comes from the government, especially NASA. The newly-formed US Space Force, however, should generate spaceflight data as well.

Additionally, private companies have stepped up to create spacecraft and flight data.

What Types of Columns/Attributes Should I Expect When Working with This Data?

This data category uses a lot of mathematics and physics, especially while plotting spacecraft orbit on Cartesian state vectors.

However, in addition to plotting the shape, size, and inclination of spacecraft, this data provides calculations for life support, thermal control, and communication within spacecraft.

What Is Spaceflight Data Used For?

Space Force members, scientists, physicists, engineers, and interested members of the public all use this data, to do anything from building and running spacecraft to plotting each takeoff and safe return. These spacecraft are used to tour the atmosphere, supply and re-supply space stations, repair satellites, and send exploratory rovers to distant planets.

How Should I Test the Quality of This Data?

Of course, the first requirement for testing the quality of this data, researchers must make sure the equipment used is high quality. After this, researchers should ensure they collect a large amount of data and double- and triple-check the machine learning programs that support spaceflight.

Interesting Case Studies and Blogs to Look Into

NASA: Human Space Flight (HSF): Realtime Data
Data.gov: Spaceflight Resource Management Training

Tangible Examples of Impact

Indian space agency the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is developing a green propulsions system for its rocket carrying humans or Gaganyaan mission, said a top official here on Saturday.
…
“In future, all the propulsive stages may adopt green propulsion,” Sivan said.

The Siasat Daily: ISRO developing green propulsion systems for Gaganyaan rocket