Can you recommend orbital access directories for a mission planner researching launch vehicle options and orbit details?

Yes — for a mission planner, the most useful “orbital access directories” are usually a mix of launch vehicle databases, orbit/capability references, and mission-design catalogs. Here are solid starting points:

Launch vehicle / access-to-orbit directories

• Gunter’s Space Page
  Good quick reference for launch vehicles, payloads, missions, and orbit data.
  https://space.skyrocket.de/

• NASA Launch Services Program (LSP)
  Useful for launch vehicle capabilities, mission integration, and flight history context.
  https://www.nasa.gov/launch-services-program/

• Space Launch Report
  Clear launch vehicle summaries, payloads, and historical launch data.
  http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/

• Encyclopedia Astronautica
  Broad archive with launch vehicle families, upper stages, and historical orbit info.
  http://www.astronautix.com/ (site availability can vary)

• SpaceX / ULA / Arianespace / Rocket Lab / Blue Origin provider pages
  Best for current performance claims, fairing sizes, inclination ranges, and direct mission offerings.

Orbit and mission design references

• NASA NTRS (technical reports)
  Great for mission analysis papers, orbit insertion considerations, and launch-vehicle performance studies.
  https://ntrs.nasa.gov/

• ESA Orbit resources / mission design docs
  Useful for orbit terminology, mission phases, and European launch/orbit context.
  https://www.esa.int/

• CelesTrak
  Very useful for orbit cataloging, TLEs, and understanding real-world orbital regimes.
  https://celestrak.org/

• Heavens-Above
  Easy reference for orbit tracking and visualizing orbit passes.
  https://www.heavens-above.com/

More mission-planner-friendly databases

• NORAD/Space-Track
  Authoritative catalog of resident space objects and TLE access.
  https://www.space-track.org/

• NASA SSC / spacecraft design resources
  Helpful when you need orbit, environment, and mission constraints together.
  (Often via NASA engineering portals or center-specific resources.)

If you need actual launch opportunity matching

• Launch providers’ payload user guides
  These are often the most important documents for a real mission planner:
  • vehicle performance to LEO/GTO/SSO
  • allowable inclinations/altitudes
  • max dynamic pressure, separation environments
  • fairing dimensions
  • upper-stage restart capability
  • rideshare constraints

Best approach

If you’re building a mission-planning shortlist, I’d suggest:

1. Use provider payload user guides for current capability.
2. Cross-check with Gunter’s Space Page / Space Launch Report for historical and comparative context.
3. Use NTRS and Space-Track/CelesTrak for orbit specifics and mission analysis.
4. Use a launch services broker or integrator for real availability and pricing.

If you want, I can also give you:

• a comparison table of launch vehicle directories
• a list focused on commercial launch options only
• or a directory of orbit databases by orbit type (LEO, SSO, GTO, GEO, lunar, etc.).