Virtual Reality Simulation Of Formation Flying Spacecrafts
- Paper number
IAC-07-D1.2.02
- Author
Mr. Santanu Sarma, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), ISAC, India
- Coauthor
Dr. V.K Agrawal, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), ISAC, India
- Year
2007
- Abstract
The use of multiple views and interactive visualizations of system designs and specifications in different dimensions, based on the task being performed and the expertise of the user, can enhance the intellectual manageability of complex system engineering. Research on interactive visualization should not only be useful in system design but also in training and operations, where the complexity of the automation that is being designed is confusing operators and those performing sustainment activities. Moreover, interactive visualization could be used as a tool both for training operators and for providing real-time information about the operation of the automation to assist with operational decision making and monitoring activities. Virtual reality simulation is a solution for viewing and interacting with dynamic systems in a three dimensional virtual reality environment. In this paper, the use of virtual reality toolbox under Matlab-Simulink platform is demonstrated using formation flying of spacecrafts. Using this technology, a new simulator is developed for three dimensional formation flying system simulation in the MATLAB and Simulink environment. The formation movement of the spacecrafts is viewed in three-dimensional scenes driven by signals from the Simulink environment. The manipulation of the different states of the system changes the position and properties of spacecraft in the virtual world while running the simulation. It creates virtual worlds or three-dimensional scenes using standard Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) technology that gives the intuitive meaning of the mathematical modeling of dynamic system design. The paper also discusses the techniques to improve simulation performance as the computational requirements for such simulation can be large. Furthermore, it highlights how the proposed simulation methodology simplifies designing of interactive visualizations of complex system design and behavior for use by system designers, operators, and maintainers.
- Abstract document