VisualSim Interface to Satellite Toolkit

VisualSim has a co-simulation link with Satellite Toolkit from Analytical Graphics. This interface couples link and environment information with design and analysis of product specification. The interface can use the dynamic satellite orbital information from STK in a VisualSim exploration of the hardware and software architecture exploration of land, air and sea based systems. VisualSim models acquire dynamic orbital data through the information for use in exploring power and weight requirements of their proposed system architecture,

VisualSim interface to STK provides users with a high-performance, multi-query access to orbital data to tailor their modeling and simulation environments to size the hardware components and study the interaction between satellites in the proposed and existing satellite-communications networks. While VisualSim is able to model static orbit data, the new interface enables STK's users to dynamically link orbit data from that software into VisualSim Architect, thereby eliminating a possible duplication of effort and increasing simulation accuracy. A number of examples have been provided to enable the user to quick-start the usage of this capability.

The VisualSim STK interface greatly expands the scope of validation and testing available to System Architects of complex space and air based systems. The combination of the VisualSim modeling library and the STK interface provides the first approach in modeling the entire spacecraft architecture for power, cost and weight analysis.

The VisualSim interface to STK was originally built in collaboration with the Space Vehicle Directorate of the United States Air Force Research Labs at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This capability has been commercialized for use in the design of products targeted at applications such as reconnaissance, communications, navigation, and exploration. Products analyzed and specified using this interface will include satellite systems, missiles, rockets, unmanned aerial vehicles and other communication-centric systems.

VisualSim enables users to conduct trade-off between classified vs. neo avionics architectures and to demonstrate goodness of choices in technology and topologies to guide investment decisions. The design can be tested for effects of different technology, scheduling of enhanced power-aware and power shedding policies. The trade-off studies can focus on performance metrics such as latency to response, utilization of the communication bandwidth of the entire mission, energy/ operation and effective throughput.