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How Customers are Using Volumetrics

Check out our Virtual Training on How to Build Volumetric Objects on June 15 Volumetrics combines the flexibility of the analysis workbench with the spatial analysis capabilities of coverage. You can define a variety of 3D volumetric grids in any coordinate system, even if those coordinate systems are attached to moving objects. You can then apply spatial calculations throughout STK (including the new features in STK 11 such as phased array) to those volumetric grids. The new Volumetric object type allows you to manage these grids and spatial calculations and apply display settings to allow you to visualize your dynamic volumes of interest, including grid point settings, isosurface values, and translucency. Furthermore, you can import your own data for volumetric analysis and visualization. STK 11 was only released in December, and we’ve already seen so many interesting use-cases for Volumetrics both internally at AGI and with our customers!  Here are just some of the highlights:
  • Creating a volume grid around the Sun-Earth L2 (SEL2) Lagrange Point in order to determine the shadowing from the Moon for a halo orbit mission.  A Cartesian grid was created around the SEL2 coordinate system, and the Penumbra duration due to the moon was calculated.
  • Determining the volume around an aircraft swept out by the on-board sensors as the aircraft rolls, pitches, and yaws.  Remember, you can put a spherical grid around any object…even moving objects like aircraft and satellites!
  • Performing traditional coverage-like calculations on multiple central bodies.  This is particularly useful for interplanetary missions where a satellite may be imaging a planet and its moons.  Previously, coverage was only able to be used on the scenario central body, but volumes can be created around ANY object in STK, including planets and moons.
  • Volumetrics can be combined with STK’s Space Environment and Effects Tool (SEET) in order to visualize the Van Allen radiation belts and the South Atlantic Anomaly.  We even have a tutorial for this.
  • Coverage of the medium Earth orbit (MEO) regime by space-based assets.  This image shows the accumulated coverage time from seven satellite sensors.  This Space Systems example is available at agi.com as well, under the Solution Area Scenarios:
  • Minimum trackable object sizes in space for ground-based optical and radar sensors. This analysis takes into account the altitude of the objects and the lighting conditions.  Check out our white paper on the topic:
  • In the same white paper, you can also see how Volumetrics is used to analyze the spatial density of the LEO and GEO regimes.
Now that you’ve seen some of the great things being done with Volumetrics, how will you apply it to your next project?
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Analysis Workbench

Create custom functions and calculations relative to times, positions, and reference frames.

Space Environment Effects Tool

Add space environment variables to your orbit modeling and analysis.

Systems Tool Kit (STK)

Modeling and simulation software for digital mission engineering and systems analysis.