IAC-17.B6.3.3: SpaceCRAFT: Endeavouring towards a satellite virtual reality for mission operation evaluation Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • Copyright (2017) by International Astronautical Federation All rights reserved. SpaceCRAFT is a new concept for collaborative space system and mission design. SpaceCRAFT is a Virtual Reality (VR) 'Sandbox' environment designed to provide scenario-based operational testing in an integrated mission VR setting. Taking advantage of recent developments in consumer VR hardware and high-speed parallel computing, SpaceCRAFT aims to provide an immersive test bed for institutions to collaborate in the development and evaluation of space systems. A high-level of technical fidelity is achieved in VR through the development of: (1) accurate physics and world modules, (2) modules that encompass the top-down design of an engineered system. An intuitive understanding of simulated designs is provided through (3) immersive 3D graphics and user interfaces. With this VR framework in mind, this paper presents the development of a simulation tool to specifically investigate SpaceCRAFT as a platform for evaluating the operations of a Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite mission. The first section of this paper explores the development of an accurate space environment module in terms of orbital mechanics and solar modelling in order to establish operational constraints on mission aspects such as power generation and telecommunications. Further, the evaluation of the integration and assembly of a LEO satellite is achieved through the development of a virtual clean-room, whereby engineers may conceptually plan and troubleshoot satellite integration. Human-satellite interactions are then subsequently explored through the development of a Heads-Up Display (HUD) for the relay of vital mission statistics to a user and the implementation of gesture controls as a form of 3D satellite model exploration. To demonstrate the effectiveness of SpaceCRAFT in simulating and testing complex engineering systems, a VR simulation of a satellite design is then presented. Model complexity is built through the development of satellite submodules in order to demonstrate the system integration capability of SpaceCRAFT. As a proof of concept, the presented scenario demonstrates the usefulness of the SpaceCRAFT platform in generating an immersive and high fidelity environment for the evaluation of mission operations.

published proceedings

  • Proceedings of the International Astronautical Congress, IAC

author list (cited authors)

  • Abdou, E., Foweraker, N., Phillips, E., Zhang, X. Y., Zochowski, Y., Coen, M., ... Wu, X.

publication date

  • January 2017