Python is a versatile programming language used by many organizations around the world, including NASA. Python is used in a variety of ways at NASA, from data processing to machine learning. In particular, Python is used to process data from NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN).
The DSN is a global network of antennas that are used to communicate with spacecraft and other deep space probes. Data from the DSN is sent to the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) for processing. This data is processed using Python, a language chosen for its flexibility and scalability.
Mike Swam, the data processing team lead who worked on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), discussed his work with Python on an episode of the podcast Talk Python to Me in March 2022. Swam explained that the data processing team used Python to develop a system that could handle the large amounts of data coming from the DSN.
Python is also used in other areas of NASA. For example, it is used to develop machine learning algorithms that can be used to analyze data from the DSN. Python is also used to develop software for robotic spacecraft, such as the Mars rover Curiosity.
Python is an incredibly powerful language, and it is no surprise that NASA has chosen to use it in many of its projects. Python’s flexibility and scalability make it an ideal choice for data processing and machine learning. As NASA continues to explore the universe, Python will likely remain an important part of its operations.
