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The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences. Vol. XXXVII. Part B5. Beijing 2008 
5. SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION 
We built the A Virtual Remote Sensing Satellite Simulation 
System using object-oriented methodology on the system of 
Windows XP based on the design way given in this paper. All 
modules were written in C++ with Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0. 
We employ a simple VR system (shown in Figure 3) with 
double projector to build immense 3-D environment, Figure 4 
shows the projectors of the VR system. The software uses 3-D 
view to make all the information of the result of simulation and 
analysis visible. The 3-D view were developed by using 
OpenGL API functions and achieve a frame rate of between 40 
and 60 frames per second depending on the number of satellites 
being propagated and their orbits in our VR system. Figure 5 
presents Ikonos simulation on orbit, and a 3-D view of a close- 
up satellite’s model, Earth surface and the result of sensors 
simulation. Earth texture and colors are based on NASA data 
and images from Planetary Arts and Sciences. 
projects and they demonstrate the efficacy of the concept and 
the processing. 
We plan to expand the software in several ways. First, we intent 
to improve the analysis capability of space system. We also 
intend to model and simulate the near earth space environment 
and then develop a capability to compute the effect of satellite 
in space environment in VR environment. 
Figure 4. Spacecraft simulation in VR system 
REFERENCES 
Analytical Graphics, Inc. Getting Started with Satellite Tool Kit 
(STK) Version 4.2. 
Bayliss, S.S., 1971.: Interplanetary Targeting Program, 
Aerospace TOR-0059 (6773). 
Mara, S., 1993.: Visim. J. British Interplanetary Society, 46 
203-208. 
Figure 3. Projectors of the VR system 
McGreevey, M., 1993.: Virtual Reality and Planetary 
Exploration. Virtual Reality-Applications and Explorations. 
Alan Wexelblat (ed.). Academic Press. New York. 163-198. 
6. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK 
VR tools and computer simulation can play an important role in 
the field of remote sensing satellites designs and applications. 
The simulation techniques with advanced scene generation 
technology and analysis capability can produce new tools with 
applications in mission planning, rehearsal and presentation. 
The purpose of the design of V-RSS is to provide near-earth 
space environment simulation and analysis system and decision 
makers with intuitive insight involving the near-Earth astro- 
dynamics problem domain. This paper provides a brief sketch 
of the design thinking of such software. The system we 
developed is applied to some actual remote sensing satellites 
Ocampo, C., 1990.: Computer Graphics Applied to the 
Visualization of Two-Body Orbital Mechanics Problems. 
Proceedings Of the 28th Aerospace Sciences Meeting, AIAA 
Press, Easton, PA. AIAA-90-0075. 1-15.