Astrophyzix Technical Transparency Report · Computational Methods & NASA Integration
Float64 · IEEE‑754 · Yoshida‑4 · Runge–Kutta · Dormand–Prince · N‑Body · WebGPU · VSOP87 · NASA APIs
✨ A detailed public outreach explainer in response to user questions about how Astrophyzix computes, refines, and visualises orbits of planets, potentially hazardous asteroids (PHA'S), comets and Near-Earth Objects (NEO's)
Float64 Precision
IEEE‑754 Standard
N‑Body Physics
WebGPU Compute
High‑Order Integrators NASA API Integration
High‑Order Integrators NASA API Integration
Introduction
This article is written in response to recent questions from Astrophyzix users asking
how our orbital‑refinement system works, what computational methods we use, and how our
visualisations achieve the same scientific fidelity seen in NASA’s SBDB Orbital Viewer. Astrophyzix does not copy and paste data or information. We use live, raw data provided by NASA and it is processed through our own systems to provide the public with an easy to understand platform without compromising the raw data. Here's how we do it.
Astrophyzix is committed to transparent science communication. This report explains — in clear, technical detail — the numerical standards, integrators, GPU compute systems, and NASA data pipelines that power the Astrophyzix Digital Observatory.
Astrophyzix is committed to transparent science communication. This report explains — in clear, technical detail — the numerical standards, integrators, GPU compute systems, and NASA data pipelines that power the Astrophyzix Digital Observatory.
Numerical Foundations — Float64 & IEEE‑754
Astrophyzix performs all orbital calculations using Float64, the 64‑bit floating‑point format defined by the IEEE‑754 standard. This provides:
- ~15–17 digits of precision
- stable rounding behaviour
- predictable error propagation
- compatibility with NASA Horizons and JPL SBDB data
Lower‑precision formats (Float32) introduce rounding errors that accumulate into kilometre‑scale deviations over long integrations. Float64 ensures:
- accurate MOID calculations
- stable long‑term orbit propagation
- precise close‑approach modelling
- correct gravitational‑keyhole geometry
Float64 is the same precision used by NASA, ESA, and academic orbital‑mechanics software —
Astrophyzix uses it for every physics engine.