Demonstration of ASAM Open Simulation Interface for VEROSIM (Sensor Control and Data Exchange)

In the context of the Mars Sample Return Mission, the Virtual Testbed VEROSIM is used to simulate the approach of the Earth Return Orbiter to the sample container in Mars orbit.

The right part of the screen shows the Virtual Testbed with the Sample Container. The simulation also includes the Earth Return Orbiter with the LiDAR sensor. The Return Orbiter is about 450m away from the target and not visible in this perspective. It is actively rotating to focus the sensor on the target. On the top left is a view from a narrow angle camera pointing in the same direction as the LiDAR. The colored dots are a visualization of the hits of the LiDAR beams on the target, visualized in orbiter coordinates. The simulation shows the dramatic effect of the orbiter not being fully stabilized in its rotation combined with long scan times from the sensor. Note that in this scenario, the orbiter stabilization control algorithms and thrusters have been deliberately configured to produce this continuous tumbling effect, allowing the user to study the influence of insufficient stabilization on the sensor data processing algorithms.

The simulated 3D lidar sensor on the spacecraft uses OSI to pass sensor data to a visualization and control tool written in Python (left). The tool displays the received sensor data and is used to configure the operating modes of the simulated LiDAR. The data exchange uses ASAM Open Simulation Interface messages.