Wayfinder - a multiple gravity assist research tool

[Muetdhiver]

Wayfinder

https://github.com/Muetdhiver-lab/Wayfinder

Wayfinder is a python based Multiple Gravity Assist search tool for KSP, including support for the JNSQ planet pack.

It allows for efficient search of gravity assist sequences using state of the art tools using pykep/pygmo
packages from ESA. At the moment it's a set of python scripts with no GUI. Requires python 3.6 or 3.7

How does it work :

Wayfinder uses a job batch system with the results of said jobs saved in an xslx format for storage and readability.
Jobs can be added with the desired parameters (fly-by sequence, insertion type, search space bining, optimizsation level and so on).
Once added, jobs can be run in batches, and results will be saved. Once results are saved, the results can be searched and accessed with
a few utilites as :

- finding the best result in a given set (sequence + launch dates)
- display several sequences for comparison in terms of DV cost and Time of flight.
- compare different sequences in a DV cost vs launch date line plot
- display a job result as a flight plan in a text format

Spoiler

References and thanks:
This work would not have been possible without
- pykep : https://esa.github.io/pykep/
- pygmo : https://esa.github.io/pygmo2/
- transfer planer for JNSQ : https://github.com/LouisB3/ksp-lwp-jnsq
- the original transfer planer : https://github.com/alexmoon/ksp

Special thanks to ESA to make those package available to the public, it's awesome.

An other big thank you to the Jool5 Caveman Challenge , as it kickstarted the whole project.

Edited November 19, 2021 by Muetdhiver
fixing typos

[Muetdhiver]

** réservé **

[kurgut]

Hi !

This is really impressive work, thank you for this !

Unfornutaley, I never used Python before, so I'm brand new to this field of knowledge... Could you provide some quick basic guidance on how to set up your program ? (no python installed)

i'll try to look on some guides meanwhile...

Thanks for your help

Peace

[Muetdhiver]

Hi Kurgut,

I will add a detailed install/use guide in the githhub readme next time I update the scripts.