Vision Integration Systems - Company Proprietary

Introduction

NASA's immense Constellation Program (CxPO) covers a broad range of focused architecture trades and analysis for multiple vehicles and missions. This presents a major challenge to those tasked to evaluate the big picture view across the broad system of systems. This challenge falls particularly upon the CxPO Architecture Trades & Analysis team (ATA). For example we understand there have been many models or tools used to support DAC1. This paper is Vision Systems' proposed design description for an immersive architecture trades presentation program, called SIMConstellation Architecture Viewer. It is intended to allow presenting architecture trades at a level that is more clear and useful than the current use of PowerPoint as a presentation tool.

SIMConstellation is a 3D executive summary software solution. It is specifically not intended to compete with any CxPO modeling and simulation tools and it will not produce analysis results and it is not a critical analysis or decision support tool. It will however present results imported from a selection of analysis sources and including information on data sources and data creditability. The information presented is subject to user subjective interpretation,  and needs to be supported using robust analysis methodologies.

This proposal describes the SIMConstellation visualization capability at Version One using a fixed data input table. It also describes the subsequent use of assets and game development tools created for Vision Systems' SimCEV to move on to versions with extended capabilities. The concept utilizes both serious game techniques and sophisticated game development tools for presenting an integrated high level view of a selected set of Constellation architecture trades. Key to the success of SIMConstellation is the creation of a compelling Version One deliverable built upon the existing extensible software foundation of SimCEV.  Version One will provide a familiar baseline mission view integrated with an interactive and convincing 3-D virtual mission phase viewer. The SIMConstellation engine is extensible and modular so as to incrementally increase data capture fidelity while maintaining a rich presentation capability.  NASA will guide development by defining the selection of trades and mission phases to be presented.  The intent is for SIMConstellation to be a dynamic, interactive viewer for sharing and presenting mission trades data and expected propagation of effects across the system of systems architecture.  The SIMConstellation will give voice and vision to the complex set of existing NASA trades and requirements tools and provide a presentation capability and overall view of the current state of the evolving baseline architecture. When used properly this will encourage interactive understanding and collaboration at the system of systems level for presentation at the IDAC.

The initial selection of trades will be made in collaboration with the CxPO ATA team, and may include the following, tracked across mission phases:

Vehicle stack configuration including elements in the stack; and trades such as LIDS vs. APAS; or hypergols vs. alternative RCS fuels

Mass budget of each element in the stack at each point in the mission timeline

• Vehicle velocity at each point in the mission timeline
• Remaining Delta V generation capability of the vehicle stack (or subset of the stack)
• Consumables by vehicle element and consumption rates, i.e. LOX boil-off rates
• Launch opportunities and  probabilities based upon available launch windows mapped against weather, sea-state, and hardware reliability
• Lunar mission Ares V and Ares I launch timing separation and effects of delays vs. PLOM - Probability of Loss Of Mission
• Launch and ascent abort conditions and phased abort opportunities and methods
• Upmass, downmass, power, propellant, water, crew consumables, N2/O2, crew time, and payload operations
• Others as directed by NASA CxPO ATA office

Version One
SIMConstellation shows the operator a familiar baseline mission view with vehicle elements and major mission milestones from pre-launch to mission completion. Clicking on the timeline displays the selected trade data for that mission phase in the baseline mission view and selects the appropriate mission phase in the 3-D virtual mission viewer. The operator can move the camera around in the 3-D scene and observe the vehicle elements from a variety of angles. Clicking on a graphical object either in the baseline mission view or the 3-D virtual mission viewer will display trades data appropriate to that object.

Clicking on the mini baseline mission view in the lower left screen swaps it back and forth into the main window with the 3-D virtual mission viewer.

The column on the upper left will dynamically populate with trades data assigned to a selected graphical object, such as mass and velocity. The box below that column will document the data credibility, populated with data source (tool chain) and data quality references with the pedigree, heritage and uncertainty estimate relevant to a user selected data field in the upper left column. In this manner many trades can be explored in a relatively simple environment while keeping the viewer uncluttered.

In Version One, SIMConstellation will initially import data in the form of a table compiled from a variety of selected trade studies. In this fashion, ATA staff can populate a data table locally in familiar software and SIMConstellation can then readily incorporate the updated data table into the viewer. As long as the trades study output data is in the agreed upon data format, SIMConstellation will be able to present it in the viewer. This gives the CxPO ATA team direct control over the architecture version being presented for to the wider base of users. Later versions will automate some of this data management function. If needed, Vision Systems can also write data conversion routines for trades study software that does not adhere to standard data formats.