“Lieutenant, access satellite two and enhance visuals on these coordinates. We need to get our people out of there.”
Television would lead us to believe that monitoring a remote location is as easy as pointing to a satellite on a map and yelling “enhance” half a dozen times.
In the real world, setting up a satellite network in remote locations is a lot more complex.
This is where companies like Vector and World View Enterprises come into play. With the help of ANSYS simulation software, these startups are designing ways to get smart connected devices into orbit, or the stratosphere, at a fraction of the time and cost of current technology.
Simulation gives engineers from Vector and World View the ability to employ a fail fast design cycle to optimize their microsatellites and stratollite launchers.
Designing Microsatellite Launchers Requires Simulation-based Optimization
Scaling down rockets to send microsatellites into orbit isn’t as easy as it looks. Vector’s greatest weapon against this challenge is to fail fast and fail often with simulation.
Traditionally, the biggest challenge with microsatellites isn’t building them, it’s rocketing them into space. Even if you have the money, you will still be on a waiting list for years on end.
Unfortunately, the scaling laws limit the extent that you can change the size of your existing design.
To address this challenge, Vector’s engineers leverage ANSYS simulation software so they can adopt a “fail fast and fail often” product development strategy. This gives the design team the freedom to think outside the box and explore the design space of their baby rockets thoroughly.
For more on how Vector uses simulation to reduce the scale of rocket technology, read the latest issue of ANSYS Advantage or watch the video below:
Communication Balloons Can Bring Fast Networking to Remote Locations
Stratollites don’t have to survive the extreme vibrations and shock waves associated with a satellite launch. This gives engineers the opportunity to lighten the load.
Another approach to networking, or monitoring, a remote location uses stratollites.
These are used when you need to get your device up and running as soon as possible and then pack up everything quickly. Very spy versus spy.
World View Enterprise’s engineers use ANSYS simulation software to help design their balloon-based stratollite launchers so they can be deployed in a snap. Typically, these launchers reliably service a location for about a month.
World View Enterprise doesn’t just save money and time on its balloon launches. It also saves money in the design of the stratollite launchers’ physical frame.
Because these devices are not sent into orbit, they don’t have to survive the vibrations and shock waves of a rocket launch. Instead, they float into position on a balloon and come down with a parachute. As a result, the frame doesn’t have to be as hearty as those supporting traditional satellites.
However, engineers can’t reduce the physical frame of the stratollite launcher too much without risking the expensive monitoring equipment that make up its 50 g payload. To learn about how World View Enterprises uses simulations to optimize the stratollite’s physical frame to ensure the safety of their payload, check out the latest issue of ANSYS Advantage.
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