Use of CAD Systems in Design of Space Station and Space Robots

Abstract

In the last twenty five years, enormous advances have been made in the area of computer aided design (CAD) resulting from the improvements in the related hardware and software over this period - from the first expensive mainframes of the 1960’s to the present inexpensive microcomputer level hardware system to run its program, the emergence of various geometrical modeling techniques like the wire frame, 2-D, 3-D, and solid modeling etc., and the various user friendly Finite Element Analysis software packages. The important features offered by CAD are computer graphics and its ability to store, retrieve, manipulate and display graphical information with speed and accuracy.

CAD has really revolutionized the concept of design. The downward trend of prices and the upward trend of performance of computers of all levels and the phenomenal growth of the CAD industry during the last few years portend a much wider implementation of CAD facilities in industries. NASA, as a whole, and Goddard Space Flight Center in particular, a pioneer in the field, has highlighted the work areas for concentration, and, having the most advanced CAD systems and facilities available, will continue to use and develop advanced software for special and general purpose use.

In the first part of this paper, a review of the state-of-the-art is given, whereas the second part deals with the various advanced CAD facilities and supplementing systems being used at the Goddard Flight Center of NASA, one of the leading Government agencies in developing and applying numerous CAD softwares and protocols, especially for design and development of space station and robots to be used in space station.