NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is implementing Maple, MapleSim, and MapleNet software in its various space-related projects. Whether creating America’s first satellite, Explorer 1, sending the first robotic craft to the moon, or exploring the edges of the solar system, JPL has been at the forefront of pushing the limits of exploration.
Curiosity, JPLs latest space rover launched in November 2011 will explore Mars to investigate whether the planet could have ever supported microbial life. Current JPL projects include spacecraft missions to comets, asteroids, and satellites that monitor Earth’s land, oceans, and atmosphere.
Maplesoft technology is used in a variety of engineering applications including space robotics.
Maplesoft products are expected to help JPL save time and reduce cost by providing more efficient and smarter methods for mathematical analysis, modeling, and simulation. In addition to using Maple for advanced mathematical analysis, JPL will use MapleSim, a high-performance physical modeling and simulation tool, as part of its engineering workflow. MapleSim works in combination with Maple. It accesses Maple’s symbolic computational technology to efficiently handle all of the complex mathematics involved in the development of engineering models, including multi-domain systems, multi-body systems, plant modeling, and control design.
Maplesoft technology is also being used in other space robotics research. Dr. Amir Khajepour, Canada Research Chair in Mechatronic Vehicle Systems and professor of engineering in the Mechanical and Mechatronics department at the University of Waterloo, is working with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to develop a full solution for the power management system of autonomous rovers. His team is using MapleSim to rapidly develop high fidelity, multi-domain models of the rover subsystems.
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Filed Under: Aerospace + defense, Software • simulation, ENGINEERING SOFTWARE