The Virtual Test Bed Project

AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference and Exhibit, 2008

This paper describes the architecture and implementation of a distributed simulation of NASA's Orion spacecraft and Ares launch vehicle in a mission to the International Space Station. The simulation is part of the Integrated Mission Simulation (IMSim) project which aims at research and development collaboration among NASA centers. As mission systems are complex, a distributed simulation allows participating centers to build specific simulation models utilizing specialized technologies at each center. Interactions among the simulation models are defined according to mission operation concepts. Traditionally, simulation of space vehicles has been performed as disjoint collections of simulations. However, the traditional approach does not address integration and interaction among the separate simulations. To simulate a system of systems, distributed simulation technologies provide promising solutions. Evaluations from a previous middleware trade study showed that the IEEE 1516 High Level Architecture (HLA) standard is a suitable candidate for IMSim. In this paper, we describe the use of HLA for the Orion to ISS mission. As of July 2008, there are up to eight federates participating in a distributed simulation. They are: Mobile Launcher (ML), Launch Control System (LCS), Launch Abort System (LAS), Orion

1997

We discuss the Manned SpacePlane (MSP) project and its foundation for the Virtual SpacePlane (VSP) project. We present the requirements for the Virtual SpacePlane as derived from the MSP project's objectives. The VSP requirements coupled with the need to rapidly assemble a prototype led us to reuse code from the Virtual Cockpit, Solar System Modeler, and Common Object Database (CODB) systems. We also discuss the VSP software architecture, user interface design, and dynamics models. The VSP project is currently underway and we have completed the initial prototype system.

2017

This paper describes the 20-year evolution of the Future ATM (Air Traffic Management) Concepts Evaluation Tool (FACET) from a National Airspace System (NAS) based simulation testbed into an operational tool. FACET was initially developed as a testbed for assessing futuristic ATM concepts, e.g., automated conflict detection and resolution. NAS Constraint Evaluation and Notification Tool (NASCENT) is an application that later evolved within FACET for alerting airspace users to inefficiencies in flight operations and advising time-and fuel-saving reroute opportunities. It is currently in use at American Airlines Integrated Operations Center in Fort Worth, TX. This paper presents a historical perspective with descriptions of the concepts assessed, research conducted, and the operational capability developed, along with the NASA support and achievements.

Distributed environments composed of Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) simulations have been used extensively by the defense establishment for many years. They can be also used for analytical use and provide more hybrid, high-fidelity, and visualization capabilities than simpler software package-based simulations (e.g., Arena). This paper discusses our efforts to design an environment being developed to model space missions and LVC for warfighter scenarios. Several models representing different phases of missions and engineered systems could be used to abstract complex systems. These models can be built using different simulation paradigms. New tools such as VR-Forces can be utilized to support these environments. A very important feature is the utilization and support of the High Level Architecture (HLA) that provide capabilities to build Virtual Test Bed (VTB). This paper presents our ongoing work.

Scientific Visualization Conference, 1997

System development life cycles have been shortened within the last years using enhanced computer-based tools. Each life cycle of a system has been separated from later cycles of other systems except for the common knowledge of developers involved in different phases. To enhance the process of developing and bringing a product to the market from scratch we integrate available tools

2004

The Virtual Mission Operations Center (VMOC) is a joint DoD and U.S. intergovernmental initiative to exploit Internet Protocol (IP) based systems in space or nearspace, allowing any computer linked to the Internet to conduct dynamic tasking of payloads, interact with databases, and Tracking, Telemetry, and Control (TT&C) operations. The use of IP systems enables disadvantaged field users to access and task space capabilities. At the same time, it encourages common interfaces that lead to reconfigurable and standardized vehicle design for operationally responsive space missions. As such, IP can be an enabler for constellations of tactical small satellites. In order to utilize IP and distributed tasking, one must consider issues such as security, prioritization, and contention control. This is the role of the VMOC. Each user must log on through a VMOC server that authenticates the user, validates the operations that user is authorized to perform, and verifies the prioritization level that user holds. Once these parameters are established the user makes a request. VMOC first searches its database for the requested information to prevent tasking an on-orbit asset. If the data is unavailable, the user's request is prioritized and executed according to the prioritization. The Air Force Space Battlelab is the project manager of the VMOC demonstration team that includes Army Space and Missile Defense Command Battle Lab and NASA Glenn Research Center. The team will demonstrate the capability of VMOC via a Surrey Satellite Technologies Conner 2 18 th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites Limited (SSTL) micro-satellite. Using the Army Space Support Element Toolset, we will demonstrate that a field user can log into the Internet and perform various dynamic tasking operations on the satellite. The field portion of the demonstration is scheduled to begin in May 2004 and will be completed in June 2004.

Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference and Exhibit, 1999

In anticipation of a projected rise in demand for air transportation, NASA and the FAA are researching new air-traffic-management (ATM) concepts that fall under the paradigm known broadly as "free flight". This paper documents the software development and engineering efforts in progress by Seagull Technology, to develop a free-flight simulation (FFSIM) that is intended to help NASA researchers test mature-state concepts for free flight, otherwise referred to in this paper as distributed air / ground traffic management (DAG TM). Under development is a distributed, humanin-the-loop simulation tool that is comprehensive in its consideration of current and envisioned communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) components, and will allow evaluation of critical air and ground traffic management technologies from an overall systems perspective. The FFSIM infrastructure is designed to incorporate all three major components of the ATM triad: aircraft flight decks, air traffic control (ATC), and (eventually) airline operational control (AOC) centers.

Dynamics of Long-Life Assets, 2017

This chapter describes the Space cluster use case using the innovative Space Tug project as an example. It provides an overview of the objectives (customer in the loop, quicker technical response) and related methods to support foreseen improvements through a dedicated toolchain. The IT infrastructure used for the demonstration is used as an enabling and demonstrative system with a focus on modelling and collaboration aspects, as outlined in Chapter "Extending the System Model", on the flow of information, and on tool infrastructure and project costs. Descriptions of the developed tools are as follows: • A web-based toolchain that includes functional analysis, discipline analysis, 3D modelling and virtual reality for project team collaboration. • A workflow manager for collaboration between different companies. • Small devices called 'probes' to ensure security and data protection in intercompany collaboration. • A configurable customer front-end to ensure that the customer remains informed.

SpaceOps 2008 Conference, 2008

NASA's planned Lunar missions will involve multiple NASA centers where each participating center has a specific role and specialization. In this vision, the Constellation program (CxP)'s Distributed System Integration Laboratories (DSIL) architecture consist of multiple System Integration Labs (SILs), with simulators, emulators, testlabs and control centers interacting with each other over a broadband network to perform test and verification for mission scenarios. To support the end-to-end simulation and emulation effort of NASA' exploration initiatives, different NASA centers are interconnected to participate in distributed simulations. Currently, DSIL has interconnections among the following NASA centers: Johnson Space Center (JSC), Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Through interconnections and interactions among different NASA centers, critical resources and data can be shared, while independent simulations can be performed simultaneously at different NASA locations, to effectively utilize the simulation and emulation capabilities at each center. In this work, we describe the specific role and development activities at JPL for Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Network simulator using the Multi-mission Advanced Communications Hybrid Environment for Test and Evaluation (MACHETE) tool to simulate communications effects among mission assets. Using MACHETE, different space network configurations among spacecraft and ground systems of various parameter sets can be simulated. Data that is necessary for tracking, navigation, and guidance of spacecraft such as Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV), and Lunar Relay Satellite (LRS) are disseminated to different NASA centers and updated periodically using the High Level Architecture (HLA). In addition, mission data are being relayed through SCaN with simulated network effects. I. Introduction pace exploration has been one of NASA's visions, and NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) is responsible for realizing this vision. Within ESMD, the Constellation program (CxP)[1] is providing the next generation of human transportation spacecraft, Orion (or Crew Exploration Vehicle, CEV). The Ares I and Ares V crew launch vehicles (CLVs) will provide the thrust. The Distributed System Integration Laboratories (DSIL) project is a part of the CxP. The goal of DSIL is to develop capabilities to support systems integration, testing, and monitoring of an end-to-end distributed system architecture. DSIL involves multiple System Integration Laboratories (SILs), simulators, emulators, testlabs, and control centers interacting with each other over a broadband network to provide virtual test systems for multiple test scenarios.

Proceedings of the Winter Simulation Conference, 2005., 2005

As the size, complexity, and functionality of systems to model and simulate continue to increase, benefits such as interoperability and reusability enabled by distributed discrete-event simulation are of interest, especially for distributed manufacturing and enterprise engineering. The High Level Architecture (HLA), a standard distributed simulation environment, is one technology that enables the interconnection of distributed model components. Many applications in industry are developed by a variety of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) simulation tools, which require some form of gateway to integrate the models into the HLA component-based simulation. This paper summarizes a study conducted to integrate COTS simulation models using gateway tools and visualization of the system states running as part of other simulation models under HLA. The study focused on the prototype of a virtual engineering environment, called the Virtual Test Bed, designed to analyze operations of current and future space vehicles, spaceports, and ranges as a distributed simulation environment.