TL; DR

Preparing the task for the IDAO 2020 Data Analysis Olympiad based on the Satellite Positioning project.

About

This year the online task is coming from astronomy. It is focused on building a model that would predict the position of space objects using simulation data. The task was given by Russian Astronomical Science Center (ASC) and adopted for the Olympiad by the Laboratory of Methods for Big Data Analysis (LAMBDA, HSE University).Predicting the position of satellites is one of the most important tasks in astronomy. For example, information on the exact position of satellites in orbit is necessary to avoid extremely dangerous satellite collisions. Each collision leads not only to satellites destruction, but also results in thousands of space debris pieces. For instance, Iridium-Coscos collision in 2009 increased number of space debris by approximately 13%. Further collisions may result in Kessler syndrome and the inaccessibility of outer space. Also, a more accurate prediction of satellite position will help calculate more efficient maneuvers to save propellant and extend satellite life in orbit.