Rapid Integration Technology Environment, RITE:
a tool for studying aerospace designs
What is RITE? RITE is a combination of computer software
that makes it possible to make changes in spacecraft design quickly and
test the designs to see if they are better or worse.
One part of RITE is a simple computational fluid dynamic
(CFD) software program that generates the surface shape of the spacecraft
by using a grid to describe it mathematically. Just like graphing in math
class, when you locate points on a graph. This grid is three dimensional.
It uses the x, y and z axes.
Another type of software used is optimization software.
Designers give this software their ideas about things like which wingspans
are the most stable and the software then varies the shape of the design
to make the overall vehicle faster, cheaper or safer. The designer has
to think about what she/he knows about designs and aeronautics and what
goals she/he is trying to achieve. Then she/he has to feed this information
into the software and the computer can do all the math for him/her.
Fanny Zuniga
used the RITE tool to study the ways it can be used with computer simulations
to evaluate design concepts. The software looks at the design by varying
new parameters. (Example: The radius might be the parameter that is changed
in circles that have the same center.)
These variations will be entered into computer simulations
that work with the Vertical Motion Simulator, VMS. Pilots will fly the
simulator and the results will be compared. The simulation uses a database
with lots of aerodynamic information. The data from the CFD software,
wind tunnel tests and the simulator are available.
The simulator results can be viewed remotely over the
Internet. Researchers can see all the data. This means more people can
participate in the design changes even if they can not be in the control
room of the VMS.
With out these computer tools you would have to work like
the Wright Brothers and build your design and try to fly it and start
all over again. Now designers use the computer tools and they can make
complete new designs on the computers in two to three days.
Read about how computer tools are being used to design
Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicles.
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