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Virtual Satellite

The future of model based systems engineering for space missions

 Virtual Satellite 3 in the CEF  zum Bild Virtual Satellite 3 in the CEF

Virtual Satellite is an internal DLR project that started in 2007. As its name suggests, the initial focus was on supporting spacecraft assembly, integration and test (AIT) activities with a digital mockup and simulation. Quite soon the project focus shifted from AIT to the early phases in the life of a spacecraft, to the Concurrent Engineering Facility (CEF) in. Here spacecraft and their missions are born and therefore a smart tool was needed that lets the engineers collaboratively work on a shared digital representation of the spacecraft. Enabling collaboration is one of the key features of Virtual Satellite.

Continues evolution and integration of the Virtual Satellite software family builds the backbone of DLR’s MBSE activities. Here the latest research results are evaluated, implemented and shipped to the projects. The Virtual Satellite Family contains the Versions 3 and 4, some of the best and most advanced tools to support the design, development and production of tomorrow’s spacecraft. Most tools are based on the Eclipse Rich Client Platform (RCP) and are written in Java within a state of the art software engineering environment.

Virtual Satellite 3 mainly supports the work at CEF. It was developed to improve collaboration during the design studies and to allow the engineers to create a common digital mock-up of their spacecraft. It introduces a simple data model that is tailored to the needs of the engineers and that perfectly fits the way CEF studies are conducted. Even quite simple, it follows the paradigm of letting the engineers be creative. Virtual Satellite is easy to use and does not distract the engineers from their original task of designing a spacecraft. Besides the day by day business in the CEF, Virtual Satellite 3 has also levered some pioneering new directions such as continuous verification or visual spacecraft configuration approaches. The software has been developed in close cooperation with the department for System Analysis Space Segment. We opened it up to the community and it is available for download free of charge.

Knowledge Management Tools Integration within DLR’s Concurrent Engineering Facility

Paris Lopez, Rosa and Lüdtke, Daniel and Deshmukh, Meenakshi and Soragavi, Geeta (2013) Knowledge Management Tools Integration within DLR’s Concurrent Engineering Facility. IEEE Aerospace Conference 2013, 2.-9. März 2013, Big Sky, Montana, USA.

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Abstract

The complexity of space endeavors has increased the need of Knowledge Management (KM) tools. Establishing a KM concept within the Concurrent Engineering Facility (CEF) has been a research topic of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). The current KM tools of the CEF are presented: the Software Platform for Organizing and Capturing Knowledge (S.P.O.C.K.), the data model Virtual Satellite (VirSat), and the Simulation Models Library (SimMoLib), and how their usage improved the CE-process. This work also exposes the lessons learned from the introduction of KM practices into the CEF and elaborates a roadmap for the further development of KM in CE activities at DLR. The results of the application of the Knowledge Management tools have shown the potential of merging the three software platforms with its functionalities, as the next step towards the fully integration of KM practices into the CE-process. VirSat will stay as the main software platform used within a CE-study, and S.P.O.C.K. and SimMoLib will be integrated into VirSat. These tools will support the data model as a reference and documentation source, and as an access to simulation and calculation models. The use of KM tools in the CEF aims to become a basic practice during the CE-process. The settlement of this practice will result in a much more extended knowledge and experience exchange within the Concurrent Engineering environment and, consequently, the outcome of the studies will comprise higher quality in the design of space systems.

Item URL in elib:https://elib.dlr.de/82867/Document Type:Conference or Workshop Item (Speech)Title:Knowledge Management Tools Integration within DLR’s Concurrent Engineering FacilityAuthors:

Authors Authors ORCID iD
Paris Lopez, Rosa
Lüdtke, Daniel
Deshmukh, Meenakshi
Soragavi, Geeta

Date:March 2013Open Access:NoIn SCOPUS:NoIn ISI Web of Science:NoKeywords:Knowledge Management, Concurrent EngineeringEvent Title:IEEE Aerospace Conference 2013Event Location:Big Sky, Montana, USAEvent Type:international ConferenceEvent Dates:2.-9. März 2013DLR – Research area:RaumfahrtDLR – Program:R SY – Technik für RaumfahrtsystemeLocation:Bremen

Institutes and Institutions:Institute of Space Systems > System Analysis Space Segment