Spacecraft development testbed system
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a location reference system configured to generate location information comprising position and orientation information for a number of mobile platforms in an environment, the position information including a three dimensional position of a mobile platform with respect to a reference point, and the orientation information including an angular rotation of a mobile platform with respect to a number of axes;
a processor configured to identify characteristics for movement of a number of spacecraft in a non-Earth environment and to consider a number of conditions for the non-Earth environment in identifying the characteristics for movement; and
a control module configured to identify characteristics for movement of the number of mobile platforms in the non-Earth terrestrial environment, to receive the location and orientation information for the number of mobile platforms from the location reference system;
to generate command signals for the number of mobile platforms using the location and orientation information and the characteristics identified for the movement of the number of mobile platforms and the characteristics for movement of the number of spacecraft; and
to send the command signals to the number of mobile platforms to operate the number of mobile platforms in the environment such that operation of the number of mobile platforms emulates operation of the number of spacecraft systems in the non-Earth terrestrial environment, the command signals including commands to operate the number of mobile platforms on a surface representing terrain of the non-Earth terrestrial environment, at least a portion of the control module positioned remotely from the number of mobile platforms.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus comprising a location reference system and a control module. The location reference system is configured to generate location information for a number of mobile platforms in an environment. The control module is configured to receive the location information for the number of mobile platforms from the location reference system. The control module is further configured to generate command signals for the number of mobile platforms using the location information. The control module is further configured to send the command signals to the number of mobile platforms to operate the number of mobile platforms in the environment such that operation of the number of mobile platforms emulates the operation of a number of spacecraft systems in a non-Earth terrestrial environment.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a location reference system configured to generate location information comprising position and orientation information for a number of mobile platforms in an environment, the position information including a three dimensional position of a mobile platform with respect to a reference point, and the orientation information including an angular rotation of a mobile platform with respect to a number of axes; a processor configured to identify characteristics for movement of a number of spacecraft in a non-Earth environment and to consider a number of conditions for the non-Earth environment in identifying the characteristics for movement; and a control module configured to identify characteristics for movement of the number of mobile platforms in the non-Earth terrestrial environment, to receive the location and orientation information for the number of mobile platforms from the location reference system;
to generate command signals for the number of mobile platforms using the location and orientation information and the characteristics identified for the movement of the number of mobile platforms and the characteristics for movement of the number of spacecraft; and
to send the command signals to the number of mobile platforms to operate the number of mobile platforms in the environment such that operation of the number of mobile platforms emulates operation of the number of spacecraft systems in the non-Earth terrestrial environment, the command signals including commands to operate the number of mobile platforms on a surface representing terrain of the non-Earth terrestrial environment, at least a portion of the control module positioned remotely from the number of mobile platforms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for developing and testing a number of spacecraft systems comprising:
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a number of mobile platforms configured to operate within an environment to emulate operation of the number of spacecraft systems in a non-Earth terrestrial environment; a location reference system configured to generate location information and orientation information for the number of mobile platforms in the environment, the location information including a three dimensional position of a mobile platform with respect to a reference point, and the orientation information including an angular rotation of a mobile platform with respect to a number of axes; a health monitoring module configured to receive health monitoring information from the number of mobile platforms and to monitor a health condition for the number of mobile platforms using the health monitoring information received; a processor configured to identify characteristics for movement of a number of spacecraft in a non-Earth environment and to consider a number of conditions for the non-Earth environment in identifying the characteristics for movement; a control module configured to identify characteristics for movement of the number of mobile platforms in the non-Earth terrestrial environment, to receive the location information and the orientation information for the number of mobile platforms from the location reference system;
to generate command signals for the number of mobile platforms using the location information, the orientation information, the characteristics for movement of the number of mobile platforms in the non-Earth terrestrial environment, the characteristics for movement of the number of spacecraft, and the health condition for the number of mobile platforms;
to send the command signals to the number of mobile platforms to operate the number of mobile platforms in the environment such that operation of the number of mobile platforms emulates the operation of the number of spacecraft systems in the non-Earth terrestrial environment; and
to generate simulated data for a first number of systems for the number of spacecraft, the command signals including commands to operate the number of mobile platforms on a surface representing terrain of the non-Earth terrestrial environment, at least a portion of the control module positioned remotely from the number of mobile platforms; anda data management module configured to record the location information for the number of mobile platforms in the environment. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for testing a number of spacecraft systems, the method comprising:
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a computer identifying characteristics for movement of a number of mobile platforms in a non-Earth terrestrial environment; the computer configured to identify characteristics for movement of a number of spacecraft in the non-Earth terrestrial environment and to consider a number of conditions for the non-Earth terrestrial environment in identifying the characteristics for movement of the number of spacecraft; the computer receiving location information and orientation information for the number of mobile platforms in an environment, wherein the location information and the orientation information are generated using a location reference system, the location information including a three dimensional position of a mobile platform with respect to a reference point, and the orientation information including an angular rotation of a mobile platform with respect to a number of axes; the computer generating command signals for the number of mobile platforms using the location information, the orientation information, the characteristics for movement of the number of mobile platforms in the non-Earth terrestrial environment, and the characteristics for movement of the number of spacecraft; the computer generating simulated data for a first number of systems for the number of spacecraft; and the computer sending the command signals to the number of mobile platforms to operate the number of mobile platforms in the environment such that operation of the number of mobile platforms emulates operation of the number of spacecraft systems in the non-Earth terrestrial environment, the command signals including commands to operate the number of mobile platforms on a surface representing terrain of the non-Earth terrestrial environment, at least a portion of the control module positioned remotely from the number of mobile platforms. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification