Orbitography

Orbitography is the science of describing and predicting the motion of bodies in space by determining their orbits. It covers both natural objects, such as planets, moons, and comets, and artificial objects, such as satellites and spacecraft. The field focuses on estimating orbital elements, modeling their time evolution, and producing ephemerides that specify where an object will be at a given time.

Data for orbitography come from observations and measurements including optical astrometry, radar and laser ranging, radio Doppler tracking, and spacecraft telemetry. The central computational task is orbit determination, in which measurements are used to estimate orbital elements and their uncertainties. Orbit propagation then predicts future positions using numerical integrators that incorporate perturbations such as Earth's oblateness, atmospheric drag, third-body gravity, solar radiation pressure, and tidal forces.

Applications include satellite navigation and communications planning, mission design and control, space surveillance and collision avoidance, and the generation of ephemerides for astronomy. In the space domain, orbitographers work with agencies and operators to maintain accurate catalogs of objects and to forecast conjunctions and reentry events.

Relationship to related disciplines: orbitography overlaps with astrodynamics, celestial mechanics, and orbital (or space) situational awareness. While the term can be used broadly, modern practice emphasizes estimation, data assimilation, and the integration of diverse observation types to support reliable trajectory prediction.