PlanetMapper currently doesn't play very nicely with small body SPK kernels generated by JPL Horizons. Although small bodies generally won't use the full power of planetmapper (e.g. not having well defined sizes/roations), it'd be good to support them as much as possible, and to document potential issues and workarounds.
Things to do:
[x] Body instances cannot be created for objects which do not have defined names. Should update standardise_body_name to fall back to the (stringified) NAIF ID code if no 'nice' name is available. Current workaround requires e.g. a call to spice.boddef to register a name first.
[x] Document use of e.g. spice.boddef or NAIF_BODY_NAME/NAIF_BODY_CODE in kernels to allow user-defined names to be used. Probably just something for common issues page.
[x] Document variable and PCK frame definitions for small bodies to allow users to manually add spice support for them.
[x] Allow the target_frame parameter to be customised (still obviously want to default to IAU_{name}).
[x] Decorate more methods with @_add_help_note_to_spice_errors (e.g. Body.__init__).
(Issue inspired question over email on 2024-03-21)
PlanetMapper currently doesn't play very nicely with small body SPK kernels generated by JPL Horizons. Although small bodies generally won't use the full power of planetmapper (e.g. not having well defined sizes/roations), it'd be good to support them as much as possible, and to document potential issues and workarounds.
Things to do:
Bodyinstances cannot be created for objects which do not have defined names. Should updatestandardise_body_nameto fall back to the (stringified) NAIF ID code if no 'nice' name is available. Current workaround requires e.g. a call tospice.boddefto register a name first.spice.boddeforNAIF_BODY_NAME/NAIF_BODY_CODEin kernels to allow user-defined names to be used. Probably just something for common issues page.target_frameparameter to be customised (still obviously want to default toIAU_{name}).@_add_help_note_to_spice_errors(e.g.Body.__init__).(Issue inspired question over email on 2024-03-21)