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Install

Prerequisites

  • Python 3.11+
  • pip (for package users)
  • Conda (recommended for contributors / full repo workflows)
  • A working C/C++ toolchain if you plan to build native extensions locally

Choose your install path

This docs site supports two user modes:

  • Package user (pip): you want to use the library from your own project
  • Repo user / contributor: you want examples, tests, docs build, and local development tools

Option A: Package user (pip)

Use this if you want to install and use the library without cloning the repo.

python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
python -m pip install -U pip
python -m pip install astrodyn-core

Optional extras:

# TLE download/Space-Track workflows
python -m pip install "astrodyn-core[tle]"

Notes:

  • You will still need Orekit data for Orekit-backed workflows (see Orekit data setup)
  • The tutorials/how-to pages increasingly include self-contained code snippets so package users can follow along without the repo examples/ folder

Option B: Repo user / contributor (Conda + editable install)

From the repository root:

python setup_env.py
conda run -n astrodyn-core-env python -m pip install -e .[dev,docs]

Why this is recommended for repo work:

  • Uses the project-standard environment (astrodyn-core-env)
  • Installs dev tools (tests/lint) and docs tooling (MkDocs)
  • Keeps runtime and docs builds consistent

Verify the installation

Package user (quick import check)

python - <<'PY'
import astrodyn_core
print("astrodyn_core import OK")
PY

Repo user / contributor (test check)

conda run -n astrodyn-core-env pytest -q -rs

Expected result:

  • Tests pass
  • Some tests may skip if optional dependencies/data are missing (for example Orekit data)

Optional developer shortcuts (repo users)

The repo includes make wrappers:

make help
make test
make docs-build