The Distributed Space Exploration Simulation (DSES)

The paper describes the Distributed Space Exploration Simulation (DSES) Project, a research and development collaboration between NASA centers which focuses on the investigation and development of technologies, processes and integrated simulations related to the collaborative distributed simulation of complex space systems in support of NASA's Exploration Initiative. This paper describes the three major components of DSES: network infrastructure, software infrastructure and simulation development. In the network work area, DSES is developing a Distributed Simulation Network that will provide agency wide support for distributed simulation between all NASA centers. In the software work area, DSES is developing a collection of software models, tool and procedures that ease the burden of developing distributed simulations and provides a consistent interoperability infrastructure for agency wide participation in integrated simulation. Finally, for simulation development, DSES is developing an integrated end-to-end simulation capability to support NASA development of new exploration spacecraft and missions. This paper will present current status and plans for each of these work areas with specific examples of simulations that support NASA's exploration initiatives

Digital Infrastructures, Higher Education and the Net-Generation of Students

Students currently in higher education in the industrialised world have unprecedented access to web-based technologies and tools, and are likely to have engaged with online activities throughout their educational experiences. More widely, there is increasing pressure on universities to provide flexible learning environments and access to resources. This is keenly felt in the computer laboratory, where once dedicated, stand-alone machines provided software packages for students to work on during timetabled sessions. In recognising the move away from such patterns, Macquarie University is developing software and infrastructure to enable distributed access at any time to students, thus making a conceptual and physical shift from so-called ‘Local Area Networking’ to ‘Wide Area Networking’ and enabling greater freedom of access. The initiative is from within the Division of Economics and Financial Studies (EFS), but is applicable to students of any discipline in any university. This paper describes the development and discusses some of the implications for learning and teaching.8 page(s