Space Systems - Engineering Solutions - Maplesoft

Engineering Solutions for Space Systems

Using MapleSim as a virtual testing environment

Systems for Space are extremely complicated, often operating under extreme conditions, and requiring multiple testing steps (especially when including controls). Engineers are turning to Simulation to get fast answers to complex design questions, by running test scenarios efficiently and without the cost of a physical prototype.

The Solution is MapleSim!
The advanced modeling tool MapleSim makes a big impact to the effectiveness of Design Exploration. Maplesoft has designed MapleSim as a digital testing environment that can combine multiple systems into 1D models that are fast to run and have built-in analysis features through the powerful symbolic computation.

Promoting Innovation and Efficiency
Space system designers can quickly converge on the correct design for the task and use MapleSim to support confident decision-making that results in increased innovation. As Japan’s space industry is evolving, engineers can be more productive by using MapleSim to develop and validate requirements and update critical information between teams.

Space system engineering solutions

Let Maplesoft take your design exploration projects to new heights

Flexible Testing with System Modeling and Simulation

  • MapleSim is a multidomain modeling environment so Multibody, Thermal, Electrical, and other systems can be combined to find the parameter settings that achieve the target performance.
  • Model building is simple using Drag-and-Drop steps.
  • Design performance targets can be shared as a model.

Visualization and Validation for Your FMI Based Tool-chain

  • MapleSim models can connect to your existing tools such as Simulink, PIDO tools and other real-time simulation tools.
  • Connect your partner’s simulation tools to MapleSim Insight to add 3D Visualization and debugging to the process.

Best fit simulation code for Design Exploration and Real-time Simulation

  • MapleSim’s simulation code is extremely robust, supporting a wide range of parameters and scenarios.
  • Engineers can apply the very fast code to real-time simulation for controller testing (such as HIL/SIL).
  • And any code generated is Royalty free!

Generate and Manage Model Equations for Control Design

  • Equations can be generated in general form or multibody form from MapleSim’s models.
  • Processing equations with Maple’s powerful computation engine provides powerful support for the development of inverse kinematics, Jacobian matrix-based algorithms, and more.

Space System Applications Using MapleSim

Robot arm for Space systems

Free floating body simulation can be performed in MapleSim. With fast simulation code, Real-time simulation (HILS/SILS) can be built with the model for controller testing purpose. In this example, the Inverse kinematics algorithm was developed for motion control by using generated equations from the model.

Further uses beyond the intial model:

  • Mechanical analysis, such as the impact on joints when a load is changed.
  • DH parameter-based modeling of the arm kinematics (as a customization project).
Space system engineering solutions
Space system engineering solutions

Heat transfer analysis for a small satellite

Thermal management is very important for Space Systems. This example shows how using MapleSim with the add-on Heat Transfer Library (HTL) helps engineers to perform heat transfer analysis with the Lumped-parameter modeling approach. HTL supports 3D visualization to see a system’s thermal behavior. Additionally, in this model Solar flux, Planetary albedo flux and Planetary infrared flux are calculated as custom components and used to apply different environmental conditions.

Further uses beyond the initial model:

  • Air and Water flow modeling using a sub-package of HTL.
  • Thermal management control testing.

Other Applications

  • Motor drive simulation and thermal analysis for an arm joint module. Read the Astroscale customer case study here.
  • Loop Heat Pipe analysis as a customization project.
Space system engineering solutions

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