JPL Small-Body Database

The JPL Small-Body Database (SBDB) is an astronomy database about small Solar System bodies. It is maintained by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and NASA and provides data for all known asteroids and several comets, including orbital parameters and diagrams, physical diagrams, and lists of publications related to the small body. The database is updated on a daily basis.

Close-approach data

As of August 2013 (planetary ephemeris DE431) close-approach data is available for the major planets and the 16 most massive asteroids. Close approach data is available by adding ";cad=1" to the end of the URL.

Orbit diagram

A Java applet is available and provided as a 3D orbit visualization tool. The applet was implemented using unreliable 2-body methods, and hence should not be used for determining accurate long-term trajectories (over several years or decades) or planetary encounter circumstances. For accurate ephemerides use the JPL Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System that handles the n-body problem using numerical integration. The Java applet is available by adding ";orb=1" to the end of the url.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in La Cañada Flintridge, California and Pasadena, California, United States.

The JPL is managed by the nearby California Institute of Technology (Caltech) for NASA. The laboratory's primary function is the construction and operation of planetary robotic spacecraft, though it also conducts Earth-orbit and astronomy missions. It is also responsible for operating NASA's Deep Space Network.

Among the laboratory's current major active projects are the Mars Science Laboratory mission (which includes the Curiosity rover), the Cassini–Huygens mission orbiting Saturn, the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Dawn mission to the dwarf planet Ceres and asteroid Vesta, the Juno spacecraft en route to Jupiter, the NuSTAR X-ray telescope, and the Spitzer Space Telescope. They are also responsible for managing the JPL Small-Body Database, and provides physical data and lists of publications for all known small Solar System bodies.

List of minor planets: 78001–79000

JPL (disambiguation)

JPL is the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a NASA facility in Pasadena, California, US.

JPL may also refer to: