Orbit Determination Tool Kit (ODTK)
Blacknight Space is an authorized Ansys partner that sells, deploys, and trains operators on Orbit Determination Tool Kit (ODTK), the optimal-filter orbit determination platform used by the U.S. Space Force, NASA Goddard, and the world’s largest commercial satellite operators.
What is Orbit Determination Tool Kit (ODTK), and who uses it?
Orbit Determination Tool Kit (ODTK) is an operational orbit determination platform from Ansys, formerly Analytical Graphics, Inc. (AGI). ODTK uses an optimal sequential filter and a fixed-interval smoother to fuse tracking measurements — radar, optical, GPS, ranging, and inter-satellite links — into precise ephemerides with realistic covariance. ODTK is the production OD tool of choice for the U.S. Space Force, NASA Goddard, JPL, and the majority of large commercial satellite operators.
- Operational orbit determination — production ephemerides for LEO, MEO, GEO, HEO, and cislunar regimes.
- Tracking data fusion — radar range and range-rate, optical angles, GPS, TDRSS and DSN ranging, ISL.
- Maneuver detection & reconstruction — planned and unplanned burn identification with realistic uncertainty.
- Tracking sensor calibration — bias estimation, noise modeling, and residual analysis.
- Conjunction risk reduction — realistic covariance feeds higher-fidelity Pc calculations.
See Orbit Determination Tool Kit in action
Watch a Blacknight Space aerospace engineer walk through a live ODTK scenario: ingesting heterogeneous tracking data, running the sequential filter and smoother, and producing a covariance-realistic ephemeris ready for operational handoff.
How Does Blacknight Space Help Teams Adopt ODTK?
Blacknight Space is the only point of contact you need across the ODTK lifecycle. As an authorized Ansys channel partner, our aerospace engineers are ready to assist you and your team install and integrate ODTK and begin processing your tracking-data, tune the filter for your mission, certify your operators, and remain available for follow-on orbit determination engineering.
Licensing & Procurement
We configure the right ODTK bundle, plug-ins, and term length for your mission, then route the purchase through GSA, prime subcontract, or direct commercial vehicles. License pricing matches Ansys direct — the services we wrap around it are the differentiator.
- ODTK base, plus tracking-data plug-ins for GPS, optical, and inter-satellite links.
- Floating, node-locked, and government-furnished license configurations.
- GSA, SEWP, and contract-vehicle procurement support.
- Annual renewal management with usage-based right-sizing.
Implementation, Tuning & Certification
Software alone does not produce certified ephemerides. Our U.S.-based aerospace engineers stand up ODTK in your environment, integrate your tracking-data feeds, tune the filter and force models, certify your operators, and stay engaged for the orbit determination analyses that your program of record depends on.
- Installation, license-server setup, and SIPR / classified deployment support.
- Tracking-data ingest: radar, optical, GPS, TDRSS, DSN, and ISL feeds.
- Filter and force-model tuning for LEO, MEO, GEO, HEO, and cislunar regimes.
- Operator certification and on-call orbit determination engineering.
How Does Blacknight Space Support Scaling Aerospace Teams Adopting ODTK?
Our engagement model is a four-step, fixed-scope process designed to take an operations team from purchase order to processing ephemeris in record time. Supported by our engineering team and subject matter experts, we support our customers' successful adoption of ODTK throughout their program's growth and advancement.
Discovery & License Sizing
A quick scoping call is usually all it takes for our engineering team to right-size tool suggestion based on your unique mission and tracking-data needs, resulting in a recommended ODTK approach and quote with procurement-vehicle options.
Deployment & Tracking-Data Integration
Our support team can offer oversight with license-server stand-up, workstation provisioning, SIPR considerations, and ingestion of your radar, optical, GPS, and ranging feeds into ODTK.
Filter Tuning & Operator Certification
Advance fidelity with force-model and measurement-noise tuning for your regime, residual review, and hands-on certification for orbit analysts and operators.
Sustained Operations Support
On-call orbit determination engineering, maneuver reconstruction, custom plug-ins, refresher training, and renewal planning. You can rely on our engineering team!
Who Does Blacknight Space Serve With ODTK?
Blacknight Space supports both U.S. defense organizations and commercial space operators. Our engineers hold experience across classified and unclassified networks, and our service catalog scales from a single satellite operator to a multi-site space domain awareness enterprise.
- U.S. Space Force, U.S. Space Command, and component commands.
- 18th Space Defense Squadron, NASA Goddard, JPL, and FFRDCs.
- Defense primes operating GEO and proliferated LEO custody chains.
- SIPR, JWICS, and air-gapped operational deployment patterns.
- GEO operators producing daily station-keeping ephemerides.
- LEO constellations fusing GPS, ground radar, and optical tracking.
- Cislunar and lunar mission planners requiring DSN-based OD.
- SSA / SDA companies maintaining custody of resident space objects.
Frequently Asked Questions about ODTK and Blacknight Space
What is Orbit Determination Tool Kit (ODTK)?
Orbit Determination Tool Kit (ODTK) is an operational orbit determination platform from Ansys (formerly AGI). ODTK uses an optimal sequential filter and fixed-interval smoother to process tracking measurements such as radar range, range-rate, optical angles, GPS, and inter-satellite links into precise ephemerides with realistic covariance. ODTK is used by the U.S. Space Force, NASA Goddard, JPL, and most large commercial satellite operators.
How does ODTK differ from batch least-squares orbit determination?
ODTK uses a sequential Kalman filter and a fixed-interval smoother instead of a single batch least-squares fit. The sequential filter ingests tracking data as it arrives, the smoother refines the trajectory backward over the data span, and the resulting covariance is realistic rather than optimistic. This approach detects unmodeled maneuvers, isolates anomalous measurements, and produces production-grade ephemerides for operations.
How does Blacknight Space help teams adopt ODTK?
Blacknight Space provides a single point of contact for ODTK licensing, installation, tracking-data integration, filter tuning, and operator certification. Most customers produce their first certified ephemeris within 14 days of kickoff.
Is Blacknight Space an authorized Ansys partner for ODTK?
Yes. Blacknight Space is an authorized Ansys channel partner for ODTK, STK, and adjacent mission-engineering products, with U.S.-based engineers experienced in operational orbit determination on classified and unclassified networks.
Can ODTK process GPS, radar, and optical tracking data simultaneously?
Yes. ODTK fuses heterogeneous tracking measurements in a single estimation run, including ground radar range and range-rate, optical angles, GPS pseudorange and carrier-phase, TDRSS and DSN ranging, inter-satellite links, and TLE-derived states. Each measurement type carries its own noise model and bias estimation.
Ready to put Orbit Determination Tool Kit to work?
Book a 30-minute discovery call with our team. We will scope your mission, recommend the right ODTK configuration, and outline a fixed timeline to your first certified ephemeris. No procurement obligation.