Virtual Spaceport Prototyping Environment (VSPE)

The ultimate goal of this SBIR initiative is to conceptualize, design and prototype an advanced software architecture towards a Virtual Reality (VR)-enabled, distributed, collaborative simulation modeling and analysis environment. Once realized, this capability will help NASA to design and operate (via modeling and analysis) highly complex systems (such as Vision Spaceport¿the next-generation space transportation system) at substantially reduced cost and time with increased reliability. The key innovations include (i) the integration of systems engineering models with VR models, (ii) novel mechanisms for Immersive Process Analysis (IPA), and (iii) realization of distributed simulations via HLA. The results of this effort will be the concept of operation, architecture, and a limited prototype implementation of a Virtual Spaceport Prototyping Environment (VSPE). Phase I will define the VPSE requirements and architecture, and demonstrate its potential benefits through a limited version, proof of concept implementation. Phase II will develop a large-scale implementation of the VPSE architecture in collaboration with other tools and technologies developed for the ISE program. The proposed innovation directly addresses some of the technical challenges of the NASA¿s Intelligent Synthesis Environment (ISE) initiative¿the lack of robust enabling technologies for distributed, collaborative, simulation modeling for engineering design and synthesis.