diff --git a/GUI/xephem/auxil/astorb2edb.pl b/GUI/xephem/auxil/astorb2edb.pl
index 164e7e5..1c6754b 100755
--- a/GUI/xephem/auxil/astorb2edb.pl
+++ b/GUI/xephem/auxil/astorb2edb.pl
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/perl
 # convert  astorb.txt to 2 .edb files.
 # Usage: [-f] <base>
-#   if -f then use ftp to get the script from lowell, else read it from stdin.
+#   if -f then use curl to get the script from lowell, else read it from stdin.
 #   <base> is a prefix used in naming the generated .edb files.
 # Two files are created:
 #   <base>.edb contains only those asteroids which might ever be brighter
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #   <base>_dim.edb contains the remaining asteroids.
 #
 # astorb is a set of elements for 30k+ asteroids maintained by Lowell
-# Observatory. See ftp://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/elgb/astorb.html. From the
+# Observatory. See https://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/elgb/astorb.html. From the
 # Acknowledgments section of same:
 #   The research and computing needed to generate astorb.dat were funded
 #   principally by NASA grant NAGW-1470, and in part by the Lowell Observatory
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #   made. 
 #
 # grab RCS version
-my $ver = '$Revision: 1.1 $';
+my $ver = '$Revision: 1.2 $';
 $ver =~ s/\$//g;
 my ($sec, $min, $hour, $mday, $mon, $year, $wday, $yday, $isdst, $me);
 my $XCN=<<EOF;
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@ my $XCN=<<EOF;
 # ephemeris uncertainties, and some additional data for all the numbered asteroids
 # and the vast majority of  unnumbered  asteroids (multi-apparition and single-ap-
 # parition) for which it is possible to make reasonably determinate computations.
-#       It is currently about 1.7 Mb in size in its compressed form(astorb.dat.gz)
-# 6.3 Mb in  size when  decompressed  (astorb.dat),  and  contains  237215  orbits
-# computed by me (Edward Bowell).  Each  orbit,  based on astrometric observations
+#       It is currently about 83 Mb in size in its compressed form(astorb.dat.gz)
+# 305 Mb in  size when  decompressed  (astorb.dat).
+# Each  orbit,  based on astrometric observations
 # downloaded from the Minor Planet Center, occupies one 266-column record.
 #
 #                          Special Features of astorb.dat
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ my $XCN=<<EOF;
 #
 #       Second,  all  the  orbits  in a given version of the file have an epoch of
 # osculation near the  present.  Consequently,  the ephemerides of most non-Earth-
-# -approaching asteroids can be computed to  arcsec accuracy or better within ± 50
+# -approaching asteroids can be computed to  arcsec accuracy or better within ± 50
 # days of the epoch using a 2-body ephemeris program.
 #
 #       Third, current and future ephemeris uncertainties are given.Observers will
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ my $XCN=<<EOF;
 #
 # AstLowell.edb
 # astorb is a set of elements for 30k+ asteroids maintained by Lowell
-# Observatory. See ftp://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/elgb/astorb.html. From the
+# Observatory. See https://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/elgb/astorb.html. From the
 # Acknowledgments section of same:
 #   The research and computing needed to generate astorb.dat were funded
 #   principally by NASA grant NAGW-1470, and in part by the Lowell Observatory
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ print "Creating $brtfn and $dimfn..\n";
 ($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$mon,$year,$wday,$yday,$isdst) = gmtime;
 $year += 1900;
 $mon += 1;
-$from = "# Data From ftp://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/elgb/astorb.dat.gz\n";
+$from = "# Data From https://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/elgb/astorb.dat.gz\n";
 $what = "# Generated by astorb2edb.pl $ver, (c) 2000 Elwood Downey\n";
 $when = "# Processed $year-$mon-$mday $hour:$min:$sec UTC\n";
 
@@ -233,9 +233,19 @@ sub fetch
 {
     # transfer
     print "Getting $ORBFTPDIR/$ORBGZFILE from $ORBSITE...\n";
-    $cmd = "curl -s --connect-timeout 10 -u 'anonymous:xephem\@clearskyinstitute.com' $ORBSITE/$ORBFTPDIR/$ORBGZFILE > $ORBGZFILE";
-    print "$cmd\n";
-    !system "$cmd" or exit(1);
+    $cmd_v1 = "curl -s --connect-timeout 10 -u 'anonymous:xephem\@github.com' https://$ORBSITE/$ORBFTPDIR/$ORBGZFILE > $ORBGZFILE";
+    $cmd_v2 = "curl -s --disable-epsv --connect-timeout 10 -u 'anonymous:xephem\@github.com' https://$ORBSITE/$ORBFTPDIR/$ORBGZFILE > $ORBGZFILE";
+    print "trying $cmd_v1\n";
+    $curl_return = system "$cmd_v1";
+    $curl_return = $curl_return >> 8;
+    if ($curl_return != 0) {
+        print "trying $cmd_v2\n";
+        $curl_return = system "$cmd_v2";
+        $curl_return = $curl_return >> 8;
+    }
+    if ($curl_return != 0) {
+        die "curl failed\n";
+    }
 
     # explode
     print "Decompressing $ORBGZFILE ...\n";
@@ -246,4 +256,3 @@ sub fetch
     # flag
     $fetchok = 1;
 }
-
diff --git a/GUI/xephem/auxil/mpcorb2edb.pl b/GUI/xephem/auxil/mpcorb2edb.pl
index aa4a04c..d761a16 100755
--- a/GUI/xephem/auxil/mpcorb2edb.pl
+++ b/GUI/xephem/auxil/mpcorb2edb.pl
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/perl
 # convert MPCORB.DAT to 2 .edb files.
 # Usage: [-f] <base>
-#   if -f then use ftp to get the script from harvard, else read it from stdin.
+#   if -f then use curl to get the script from harvard, else read it from stdin.
 #   <base> is a prefix used in naming the generated .edb files.
 # Two files are created:
 #   <base>.edb contains only those asteroids which might ever be brighter
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #   <base>_dim.edb contains the remaining asteroids.
 #
 # mpcorb.dat is a service of the Minor Planet Center,
-# http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/ps/mpc.html.
+# https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/MPCORB
 #
 # Copyright (c) 2000 Elwood Downey
 # 16 Mar 1999: first draft
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 # 24 Sep 2004: only remove files if downloaded fresh
 #  1 Nov 2012: change from ftp to curl for better error handling.
 #  4 Jul 2014: change download site
+# 12 Oct 2021: access to https: (R. J. Mathar)
 
 # grab RCS version
 my $ver = '$Revision: 1.3 $';
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ my $XCN=<<EOF;
 # ---------------------------
 # MPC Orbit Database
 # * The MPC Orbit Database (MPCORB) is available for downloading from the anon-ftp
-#   link ftp://cfa-ftp.harvard.edu/pub/MPCORB/.
+#   link https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/MPCORB/.
 #   Download either the complete file or daily updates.
 # * Note that the security features used in  this  ftp  server require  that  your
 #   machine be found  in  a  "reverse DNS lookup"  in order to access this site. A
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ my $XCN=<<EOF;
 #    acknowledged.
 #
 #    New versions of this file, updated on a daily basis,will be available
-#    at: ftp://cfa-ftp.harvard.edu/pub/MPCORB/MPCORB.DAT
+#    at: https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/MPCORB/MPCORB.DAT
 #    These  files  are  rebuilt  each  night,  generally between 02:00 and
 #    03:00 EST  (07:00  and 08:00 UT), except during the short period each
 #    month  when  the  next  batch  of   Minor  Planet Circulars are being
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ EOF
 my $dimmag = 13;			# dimmest mag to be saved in "bright" file
 # set site and file in case of -f
 my $MPCSITE = "https://www.minorplanetcenter.net";
-my $MPCFTPDIR = "/iau/MPCORB";
+my $MPCFTPDIR = "iau/MPCORB";
 my $MPCFILE = "MPCORB.DAT";
 my $MPCZIPFILE = "MPCORB.DAT.gz";
 my $MPCOUTFILE = "AstMPC";
@@ -247,7 +248,7 @@ sub fetch
 {
     # transfer
     print "Getting $MPCFTPDIR/$MPCZIPFILE from $MPCSITE...\n";
-    $cmd = "curl -connect-timeout 10 -s -u 'anonymous:xephem\@clearskyinstitute.com' $MPCSITE/$MPCFTPDIR/$MPCZIPFILE > $MPCZIPFILE";
+    $cmd = "curl -connect-timeout 10 -s -u 'anonymous:xephem\@github.com' $MPCSITE/$MPCFTPDIR/$MPCZIPFILE > $MPCZIPFILE";
     print "$cmd\n";
     !system "$cmd" or exit(1);
 
@@ -260,4 +261,3 @@ sub fetch
     # flag
     $fetchok = 1;
 }
-