Designing and Visualizing Deep Space Manned Missions

Track: Keynotes
Abstract

Humanity is entering a new age of space exploration focusing beyond Earth orbit. Deep space mission design organizations such as NASA face new mission goals with complex custom computing and visualization requirements. Modern technology platforms such as JavaFX and Java 8 enable these intricate workflows. The complexities of trajectory design within deep space regimes will be discussed. Examples range from missions to liquid-rich worlds such as Europa and Enceladus, but also humanity’s return to the Moon via excursion missions to the planned Deep Space Gateway. Science orbits in these vicinities involve significant computational challenges due to complex gravitational effects. Demonstrations will include the Deep Space Trajectory Explorer (DSTE), software designed completely in JavaFX and Java 8 providing rapid parallel search and filtration capabilities. Custom hardware-accelerated visualizations are used to visually identify trajectory solutions that exploit these dense gravity fields. The DSTE immerses the user within the design space, letting the data be the interface to the user. Data visualizations will feature a mix of custom multilayered 2D plots and interactive 3D tools.

Diane Davis

Dr. Diane Davis is an astrodynamicist and principal systems engineer with NASA and USAF aerospace industry leader a.i. solutions. She designs spacecraft orbits with the Future Capabilities Team at Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, and previously navigated spacecraft to Mars and comets at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She is the lead researcher for the Deep Space Trajectory Explorer, a JavaFX - based, Duke’s Choice Award winning design and visualization software for interplanetary orbit analysis.

Sean M Phillips

Sean Phillips is a Principal Software Engineer with NASA and USAF Aerospace industry leader a.i. solutions. Sean’s specialties are data analysis and visualization using Java and JavaFX along with rich-client programming with the NetBeans Platform. Sean has created the Deep Space Trajectory Explorer, software for mission planning to deep space targets. Currently he serves as the lead software engineer for the NASA James Webb Space Telescope Flight Dynamics Ground System