FreeFlyer
Developer(s)a.i. solutions, Inc.
Stable release
7.8.1 / May 2023
Operating systemWindows, Linux
Platformx86, x86-64
TypeTechnical computing
LicenseProprietary commercial software
Websiteai-solutions.com/freeflyer/

FreeFlyer is a commercial off-the-shelf software application for satellite mission analysis, design and operations. FreeFlyer's architecture centers on its native scripting language, known as FreeForm Script. As a mission planning tool, it encompasses several capabilities, including precise orbit modeling, 2D and 3D visualization, sensor modeling, maneuver modeling, maneuver estimation, plotting, orbit determination, tracking data simulation, and space environment modeling.

FreeFlyer implements standard astrodynamics models such as the JGM-2, EGM-96, LP-165 gravity potential models; the Jacchia-Roberts, Harris-Priester, and NRL-MSIS atmospheric density models; the International Reference Ionosphere model; and the International Geomagnetic Reference Field magnetic field model.[1]

Background

a.i. solutions, Inc. is the owner and developer of FreeFlyer which has been in use since 1997. FreeFlyer is utilized by NASA, NOAA, and the USAF for space mission operations, mission assurance, and analysis support.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

Operational and analysis support

FreeFlyer has been used to support many spacecraft missions, for mission planning analysis, operational analysis, or both. Specific mission examples include the International Space Station (ISS),[8] the JSpOC Mission System,[9] the Earth Observing System,[10][11] Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO),[12] and Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS).[13]

FreeFlyer has also been successfully used to conduct analysis in both the high-performance computing (HPC) and service-oriented architecture (SOA) environments.[14][15]

Software tiers

FreeFlyer is one stand-alone product with no added modules, though it does have two tiers of rising functionality.

Engineer Mission
The Engineer tier includes:
  • Full-featured scripting language and IDE
  • Integrated 2D and 3D visualizations with customizable layouts
  • Multiple spacecraft and hardware modeling including sensors, antennas, tanks, thrusters, and solar arrays
  • Coverage analysis including sensors, antennas, ground stations, and other spacecraft
  • Impulsive and finite maneuver modeling, including targeting system
  • Spacecraft attitude modeling including attitude matrix, quaternions, Euler angles, RA/DEC, spin rates, and attitude history files
  • Complex sensor and antenna modeling, such as custom patterns and obscuration masking
  • Complex maneuver modeling including finite burns and supporting chemical and electrical (low-thrust) propulsion systems
  • Complex coverage analysis, visibility and access calculations
  • Added coordinate system types including custom/user-defined systems
  • MATLAB Interface[16]
  • Automation of flight dynamics tasks
  • Monte Carlo analysis
  • Collision Avoidance/Conjunction Analysis
  • Formation Flying
  • Mission Plan performance profiling
 The Mission tier includes all Engineer functionality, plus:

FreeFlyer scripting

The FreeFlyer Engineer and Mission tiers contain an integrated scripting language and development environment. The scripting language is an object-oriented script with objects and commands. Objects include properties and methods.

An example of FreeFlyer scripting is this:

// Create a spacecraft object
Spacecraft sc1;
// Create a ViewWindow, passing sc1 as part of an array of objects to view 
ViewWindow vw({sc1});
// Propagate and view the spacecraft for two days
While (sc1.ElapsedTime < TimeSpan.FromDays(2));
    sc1.Step();
    vw.Update();
End;

References

  1. ↑ "FreeFlyer". January 2010. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
  2. ↑ "a.i. solutions To Lead Goddard Support Teams". October 2009. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2009.
  3. ↑ "NASA Selects a.i. solutions for $95M Flight Dynamics Support Services (FDSS) Contract". October 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Hadron/Analex Awarded $160 Million NASA Contract". May 2002. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
  5. ↑ Clabaugh, Jeff (October 2005). "Analex wins $65M Elvis contract extension". Retrieved January 20, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Missile Defense Agency Engineering and Support Services (MiDAESS) Quality Safety and Mission Assurance (QSMA) Functional Capability Group". January 2010. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  7. ↑ "ENGINEERING REVIEW INFORMATION SYSTEM US Patent 20080005122 a.i. solutions, Inc". November 2008. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Johnson Space Center Core Trajectory Subsystem Contract Award". December 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  9. ↑ "JMS Contract Award". January 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  10. ↑ Matusow, Carla; Wiegand, Robert (1999). Automated Flight Dynamics Product Generation for the EOS AM-1 Spacecraft. Spacecraft Ground Control and Data Systems (SCD 2). CiteSeerX 10.1.1.119.5197.
  11. ↑ Close Approach Prediction Analysis of the Earth Science Constellation with the Fengyun-1C Debris, by Matthew Duncan and David Rand
  12. ↑ FedBizOpps
  13. ↑ "Apogee Raising Technique for the MMS Formation Flying Mission, by Craig Roberts, Jason Tichy, and Cheryl Gramling". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  14. ↑ "Microsoft HPC Case Study". Microsoft. June 2001. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
  15. ↑ "Mathworks.com". 2008. Retrieved March 26, 2010.


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