Simulation of Range Safety for the NASA Space Shuttle

This paper describes a simulation environment that seamlessly combines a number of safety and environmental models for the launch phase of a NASA Space Shuttle mission. The components of this simulation environment represent the different systems that must interact in order to determine the Expectation of casualties (E(sub c)) resulting from the toxic effects of the gas dispersion that occurs after a disaster affecting a Space Shuttle within 120 seconds of lift-off. The utilization of the Space Shuttle reliability models, trajectory models, weather dissemination systems, population models, amount and type of toxicants, gas dispersion models, human response functions to toxicants, and a geographical information system are all integrated to create this environment. This simulation environment can help safety managers estimate the population at risk in order to plan evacuation, make sheltering decisions, determine the resources required to provide aid and comfort, and mitigate damages in case of a disaster. This simulation environment may also be modified and used for the landing phase of a space vehicle but will not be discussed in this paper

Ground and Range Operations for a Heavy-Lift Vehicle: Preliminary Thoughts

This paper discusses the ground and range operations for a Shuttle derived Heavy-Lift Vehicle being launched from the Kennedy Space Center on the Eastern range. Comparisons will be made between the Shuttle and a heavy lift configuration (SLS-ETF MPCV April 2011) by contrasting their subsystems. The analysis will also describe a simulation configuration with the potential to be utilized for heavy lift vehicle processing/range simulation modeling and the development of decision-making systems utilized by the range. In addition, a simple simulation model is used to provide the required critical thinking foundations for this preliminary analysis

A Distributed Environment For Analysis Of Events Related To Range Safety

This paper features a distributed environment and the steps taken to incorporate the Virtual Range model into the Virtual Test Bed (VTB) infrastructure. The VTB is a prototype of a virtual engineering environment to study operations of current and future space vehicles, spaceports, and ranges. The High-Level Architecture (HLA) is the main environment. The VTB/HLA implementation described here represents different systems that interact in the simulation of a Space Shuttle liftoff. An example implementation displays the collaboration of a simplified version of the Space Shuttle Simulation Model and a simulation of the Launch Scrub Evaluation Model. Copyright © 2004 SAE International

Simulation Of Range Safety For The Nasa Space Shuttle

Purpose - The main objective of this paper is to introduce the development of a decision-support environment for a complex problem: space range safety. Simulation modeling can provide a good environment to support range safety managers. Design/methodology/approach - The paper describes the different models and the processes to find the different knowledge sources. In addition, it investigates statistically the most important factors. This will help determine emergency management procedures and sources of variability. Findings - This case study provides guidance and an example to follow for other problems in aerospace (in particular new the analysis of new vehicles). There are important factors to consider in order to implement risk management in National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Research limitations/implications - There are several limitations; blast and debris effects need to be added. Practical implications - First, it provides a guide in order to persuade managers of the utilization of decision-support systems based on geographical information systems. Second, it shows that there is open source software (Calpuff in our environment) which can be used and integrated to make a more comprehensive environment. Validation is a big issue. In addition, simulation can help make decisions about future vehicles or events. Originality/value - This is the first implementation of a virtual range (there is not an integrated system similar to this one available). This will be valuable to other safety managers not only for space exploration but also environmentalists and homeland security managers. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited

A Modeling And Simulation Environment For Space Ranges

This paper describes the Virtual Range project, the goal of which is to determine the population at risk and the expected casualties as a result of toxic gas dispersion when faced with disaster within 120 seconds of an orbiter\u27s liftoff. A user interface provides numerical and graphical summaries of potential outcomes, with user-defined preferences for the display of units of measure, geographic locations, and time values. The system will help local authorities to estimate the population at risk in order to plan for areas to evacuate, and/or for the resources required to provide aid and comfort and to mitigate damages in case of a disaster

Ground And Range Operations For A Heavy-Lift Vehicle: Preliminary Thoughts

This paper discusses the ground and range operations for a Shuttle derived Heavy-Lift Vehicle being launched from the Kennedy Space Center on the Eastern range. Comparisons will be made between the Shuttle and a heavy lift configuration (SLS-ETF MPCV - April 2011) by contrasting their subsystems. The analysis will also describe a simulation configuration with the potential to be utilized for heavy lift vehicle processing/range simulation modeling and the development of decision-making systems utilized by the range. In addition, a simple simulation model is used to provide the required critical thinking foundations for this preliminary analysis. © 2011 SAE International

Ground And Range Operations For A Heavy-Lift Vehicle: Preliminary Thoughts

This paper discusses the ground and range operations for a Shuttle derived Heavy-Lift Vehicle being launched from the Kennedy Space Center on the Eastern range. Comparisons will be made between the Shuttle and a heavy lift configuration (SLS-ETF MPCV - April 2011) by contrasting their subsystems. The analysis will also describe a simulation configuration with the potential to be utilized for heavy lift vehicle processing/range simulation modeling and the development of decision-making systems utilized by the range. In addition, a simple simulation model is used to provide the required critical thinking foundations for this preliminary analysis. Copyright © 2011 SAE International

Disaster And Prevention Management For The Nasa Shuttle During Lift-Off

Purpose - The main objective of this paper is to introduce the development of a decision-support environment for space range safety. Simulation modeling can provide a good environment to support disaster and prevention management. Design/methodology/approach - The paper describes the different models and the processes to find the different knowledge sources. This will help determine emergency management procedures. Findings - This case study provides guidance and an example to follow for other problems in aerospace. There are important factors to consider in order to implement risk management in NASA. Research limitations/implications - There are several limitations; first debris effects need to be added. Practical implications - First, the paper provides a guide in order to persuade managers of the utilization of decision support systems based on geographical information systems. Second, it shows that there is open source software which can be used and integrated to make a more comprehensive environment. Validation is a big issue. Originality/value - This is the first implementation of a virtual range. This will be valuable to other safety managers not only aerospace but also environmentalists and homeland security managers. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Spaceport Models Assessment

The purpose of this paper is to present an assessment of Spaceport Operations models. A variety of simulation models, which have been developed and are being developed at NASA KSC, are representations of single processes of a vehicle\u27s life cycle. Regardless of the different techniques and paradigms that the models have, the need exists to integrate a comprehensive model set or Virtual Test Bed (VTB), which will detail the different activities and phases of the vehicle\u27s life cycle. NASA KSC will then have a viable system that includes the many dimensions of a spaceport, including range, processing, costs, and human behavior. This assessment is divided into two major sections: one section discusses briefly the known models being utilized; the other section assesses the models from the objectives of the comprehensive model set or Virtual Test Bed. The methodology used reviews the different models and analyzes their specific make up, inputs, and results. In addition, it extracts meaningful metrics utilized by all the models studied in order to asses their spaceport relevance. The central goal of the VTB is to provide a virtual environment of the launch and range at KSC. VTB will be integrating and adapting some of the existing simulation models and complementing some of the gaps to create a unique mission environment for the Intelligent Launch & Range Operations (ILRO) program. This realistic NASA mission environment will provide scientists within the Intelligent Systems (IS) project with a computing environment where they can implement schemes for high-performance human-automation systems. It will require the development of a computer platform that allows the integration of the different models and simulation environments using two modalities: 1)Tightly - Coupled Integration, 2)Loosely- Coupled Integration. The simulation models presented here are good pieces of the life-cycle of a vehicle. However, their integration and the development of model to fill the gaps can create a useful environment for the future of the space program. The model assessment has indicated that the computing infrastructure to accomplish this integration should implement advanced ideas of integration, distributed and/or parallel computing, security, and Web-based technologies. Federation management will be have to be implemented. These federation management capabilities will allow other platforms to be integrated. However, these independent platforms will be integrated using a loosely coupled fashion. We believe that to successfully complete this task will require the development of an adaptor to accomplish and/or facilitate this integration