The main goal is to collect and connect all the data contributing to the development of a space system in a central repository (or cloud of repositories) which would act as single truth source, reducing inconsistencies and increasing efficiency and making this information available to the location where it is needed at the time when it will be required.

The proposal focuses at developing the authoring capabilities for procedures used in the AIT/AIV area, linking the elements of the space system to the test and verification activities, enabling the integration into a VR/AR environment to support these processes.

 

Based on the existing international space station (ISS) procedure viewer capabilities it is proposed to develop a procedure viewer tool and related recording and authoring capabilities for ground based AIV/AIT activities on spacecraft. This tool shall allow a user friendly and easy generation of procedures that are typically used during spacecraft assembly, integration and test. In addition it is proposed to tailor the resulting prototype towards a typical assembly procedure and to an integrated test procedure with the functionality of multiple teams working on the same procedure simultaneously. The development shall be based on the existing (ESA-owned) execution environment, establish the necessary modifications to ingest and modify existing procedures, and enhance the user interface as required by the AIT/AIV needs. It shall provide all relevant data interfaces to existing repositories in test centres. Where applicable, recommendations for the development of new or adaptation of existing standards concerning electronic procedures shall be established together with main AIV/AIT stakeholders within ESA, industry and other agencies.

 

For certain instructions in test and assembly procedures, application of virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) will improve overall assembly and test performance and quality. In a second phase the interfaces to allow such capabilities shall be developed for tight integration with the procedure viewer. The availability of this feature is also beneficial for training of staff involved in the S/C assembly and test processes, as well as early procedure validation through simulation support.

 

The current proposal addresses the aspect to develop authoring capabilities for VR and AR content and a module for AR/VR execution that shall integrate with the main procedure viewer, addressing the main technology challenges independent of the complexity of the of a specific AIT/AIV system used.

 

Introduction of AR enhanced content in an operational procedure viewer is novel for the ESA domain, and an emerging technology for other industries. ?Companies will be able to insert procedure instruction content that makes use of VR/AR technologies to improve operator performance. Standards in this emerging field (for example device independent software interfaces, AR annotations, etc.) will be analysed and selected. The design and development will be done for an open and well standardized procedure system, based on both ISS.

 

Detailed objectives include ease-of-use authoring environment, selection of appropriate VR/AR standards, integration of AR engine into execution environment, extension of procedure content repository with AR content, and finally hardware and software interfaces to commercial mobile device used for VR/AR interaction.

 

A subsequent development (not covered by this activity) would address particularities to link this authoring system to current procedure handling tools for the AIV/AIT domain, propose suitable standards for procedures, databases and information exchange required when moving to fully digital tools, develop standards and generic interfaces for the digital procedure system, etc.