Hi,
The python wrapper provides a near identical interface to orekit from python as from java, by creating a wrapper around the orekit library running in java and the python environment. This is useful for scripting, potting and analysises - for example through the jupyter notebook interface.
This release of the python wrapper for orekit is based on orekit version 8.0.
Information about the orekit 8.0 release is available at:
This new orekit version depends on the Hipparchus mathematical library instead of the previous Apache Commons Math. With this change, Java version 8 is required.
The easiest way to install the orekit python wrapper is likely in the anaconda python v2.7 distribution where pre-built packages are made for linux, windows-64 bit and mac. The conda packages are available at:
https://anaconda.org/ssc/orekit
Best Regards
/Petrus