Project: S3 - A Multi-Satellite Astrodynamics Simulator

All research into satellite guidance, navigation, and control relies upon high-fidelity software simulations of satellite dynamics. While there exist high-fidelity software packages written in FORTRAN, C++, and Java, these packages are not suitable for rapid development and testing of novel GN&C concepts, due to the lengthy write-compile-execute development cycle. However, more agile development environments that interpret scripts at runtime are unable to deliver the performance (in terms of speed and accuracy) that is often required for the most cutting-edge applications.

To solve both these issues, the Stanford Space Rendezvous Laboratory has developed a satellite dynamics toolkit for Matlab/Simulink that relies upon a core set of satellite dynamics libraries written in C++ and compiled to Matlab executable files. This way users can leverage the speed and performance of compiled software while being able to work in the Matlab/Simulink environment, which offers model-based capabilities, a user-friendly interface, high modularity, and is familiar to the aerospace community. S3 can be accessed from Stanford's network by lab members in the Gitlab link in the footer below.

Future work will include the development of modules for orbit and attitude dynamics, GNSS and optical navigation systems, and precise orbit determination capabilities.