Query the NSSDC Master Catalog for spacecrafts of certain disciplines

nssdc.py

import urllib
import urllib2
import re

# To NSSDC: Please provide a REST API. Thanks.

class Discipline:
    '''
    as in http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/SpacecraftQuery.jsp form
    '''
    Astronomy = 'ASNO'
    EarthScience = 'ESNO'
    PlanetaryScience = 'PSNO'
    SolarPhysics = 'SONO'   
    SpacePhysics = 'SPNO'
    HumanCrew = 'HUNO'
    LifeScience = 'LSNO'
    Microgravity = 'MGNO'
    Communications = 'CONO'
    Engineering = 'ENNO'
    NavigationAndGlobalPositioning = 'NANO'
    ResupplyRefurbishmentRepair = 'RENO'
    SurveillanceAndOtherMilitary = 'MLNO'
    TechnologyApplications = 'TANO'
    
def getSpacecraftsFromDisciplines(disciplines):
    '''
    Returns a list of NSSDC IDs of spacecrafts from the given disciplines. 
    '''
    url = 'http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftSearch.do'
    data = urllib.urlencode({'discipline': disciplines}, doseq=True)
    content = urllib2.urlopen(url, data).read()
    nssdcIds = re.findall(r'id=(\d{4}-\d{3}[A-Z]{1,3})', content)
    return nssdcIds
    
if __name__ == '__main__':
    nssdcIds = getSpacecraftsFromDisciplines([Discipline.SpacePhysics, Discipline.EarthScience])
    nssdcIdsAfter2000 = filter(lambda nssdcId: int(nssdcId[:4]) >= 2000, nssdcIds)
    print nssdcIdsAfter2000