WebGeocalc: web interface to SPICE

Abstract

The WebGeocalc tool (WGC) provides a web-based graphical user interface to many of the observation geometry calculations available from the “SPICE” system. WGC is based on client-server architecture. A user selects calculation parameters using GUI widgets in a Web browser. The request is sent to a WGC geometry server that performs the calculation and sends results back to the client. WGC can compute various geometric parameters such as positions, orientations, and surface intercept coordinates for a series of times; perform geometric event searches for time intervals when a geometric condition is met; and perform time conversions. WGC offers many features such as plotting and downloading results. Currently only the NAIF group at JPL operates a WGC server that has access to all data on the NAIF web site but WGC can be deployed on any computer that has Java, Apache Tomcat server, MySQL Community Server, and SPICE data.