Lox – Oxidized Astrodynamics

Lox is an MPLv2-licensed Rust astrodynamics library with first-class Python bindings for orbital mechanics, mission analysis, and telecommunications.

Python Quick Start

import lox_space as lox

# Parse a UTC epoch and convert to the TDB time scale
epoch = lox.UTC.from_iso("2025-01-01T12:00:00").to_scale("TDB")

# Load Earth orientation parameters
provider = lox.EOPProvider("finals2000A.all.csv")

# Design a sun-synchronous orbit at 800 km altitude with a 10:30 LTAN
sso = lox.Keplerian.sso(
    epoch, altitude=800 * lox.km, ltan=(10, 30), provider=provider
)

# Convert to Cartesian state and propagate with J2 perturbations
state = sso.to_cartesian()
j2 = lox.J2(state)
trajectory = j2.propagate(epoch, end=epoch + 100 * lox.minutes)

Rust Quick Start

use lox_space::prelude::*;

let epoch = Utc::from_iso("2025-01-01T12:00:00").unwrap().to_time().to_scale(Tdb);
let provider = EopParser::new().from_path("finals2000A.all.csv").parse().unwrap();

let sso = SsoBuilder::default()
    .with_provider(&provider)
    .with_time(epoch)
    .with_altitude(800.0.km())
    .with_ltan(10, 30)
    .build()
    .unwrap();

// Convert to Cartesian state and propagate with J2 perturbations
let state = sso.to_cartesian();
let j2 = J2Propagator::new(state);
let end = epoch + TimeDelta::from_minutes(100);
let trajectory = j2.propagate(Interval::new(epoch, end)).unwrap();

Installation

Python

uv add lox-space
# or
pip install lox-space

Rust

cargo add lox-space

Or add to your Cargo.toml:

[dependencies]
lox-space = "0.1"

Features

• Orbital Mechanics — Keplerian elements, state vectors, SSO design, Vallado/J2/SGP4 propagation, TLE parsing
• Time Systems — TAI, TT, TDB, TCB, TCG, UTC, UT1; femtosecond precision, leap-second aware
• Reference Frames — ICRF, ITRF, TEME; CIO and equinox-based transformation chains
• Ground Stations — Visibility windows, elevation masks, pass prediction
• Constellation Design — Walker Delta/Star, Street-of-Coverage, Flower
• RF Link Budgets — Antenna patterns, modulation schemes, path loss
• Python Bindings — Full API with type stubs and NumPy interop

Status

Lox is pre-1.0. The API may change between releases.

Documentation

• Python: https://python.lox.rs
• Rust: https://docs.rs/lox-space

Community

• Zulip Chat

Why "Lox"?

Liquid oxygen—abbreviated LOx, LOX or Lox in the aerospace, submarine and gas industries—is the liquid form of molecular oxygen. It was used as the oxidizer in the first liquid-fueled rocket invented in 1926 by Robert H. Goddard, an application which has continued to the present. Wikipedia