Roadmap
Orbital Astronomy Roadmap
A beginner-friendly journey through observational astronomy, the night sky, and orbital mechanics.
Space Orbit – Learning Path
Focus on real sky observation and understanding how objects move in orbit.
| Step | Topic | Key Concepts | Hands-on Projects | Best Free Resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Astronomy Basics | Constellations, celestial coordinates, moon phases, seasons, and basic telescopes | Identify constellations and track the ISS or bright planets with free apps | Stellarium (Free Planetarium Software) |
| 2 | Observational Astronomy | Telescopes, astrophotography basics, light pollution, and citizen science | Take your first night sky photos or join a citizen science project (e.g. Zooniverse) | Sky & Telescope |
| 3 | Orbital Mechanics | Kepler’s laws, satellite orbits, Lagrange points, and orbital decay | Track real satellites and calculate visibility times | Heavens-Above (Live Satellite Tracker) |
| 4 | Space Technology & Satellites | Satellite types, communication, Earth observation, CubeSats, and mega-constellations | Observe and log real satellite passes over your location | NASA Earth Science & Satellites |
| 5 | Astrophysics & Cosmology Basics | Stars, galaxies, black holes, the Big Bang, and dark matter | Explore interactive cosmology simulators and sky maps | NASA Astrophysics Learning Resources |
Start at Step 1 and go outside to observe the real night sky as often as possible — that's where the real learning happens.
Orbital Compute Roadmap
A practical beginner-friendly roadmap to understand the new frontier of AI and data centers in space — from why it matters to real technical challenges and hands-on simulations.
Space Compute – Learning Path
No advanced degree required — just curiosity about putting compute and AI into orbit.
| Step | Topic | Key Concepts | Hands-on / Exploration | Best Free Resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Why Space Compute? | Benefits of orbital AI and data centers, latency advantages, global coverage, solar energy potential | Read visionary announcements and compare space vs terrestrial data centers | NVIDIA Space Computing Announcement Google Project Suncatcher Research Blog |
| 2 | Orbital Data Centers Overview | LEO networks, edge AI on satellites, pros/cons of space-based computing | Analyze real-world proposals and current industry trends | IEEE Spectrum – Orbital Data Centers ABI Research – Top Space Technology Trends |
| 3 | Engineering Challenges in Space | Radiation hardening, power management, thermal control, launch costs, reliability | Study real small satellite constraints and radiation effects | NASA State-of-the-Art Small Spacecraft Technology Report |
| 4 | Satellite AI & Edge Computing | Onboard AI inference, edge processing in orbit, data handling in space | Explore how AI runs on current satellites and future missions | NASA SmallSat Institute (S3VI) & Knowledge Base |
| 5 | Python for Space & Orbital Simulations | Orbital mechanics, satellite trajectories, simulating space data processing | Run real orbital simulations and visualize satellite paths in Python | poliastro – Astrodynamics in Python (tutorials + examples) Orbital Mechanics with Python (YouTube Series by Alfonso Gonzalez) |
This roadmap links to third party websites.