Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer

Decision Support Tool and Simulation Testbed for Airborne Spacing and Merging in Super Dense Operations, Phase I

Completed Technology Project
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Project Description

The key innovation in this effort is the development of a decision support tool and simulation testbed for Airborne Spacing and Merging (ASM). We focus on concepts related to airports with Super Dense Operations (SDO) where new airport runway configurations, simultaneous operations on runways, simultaneous sequencing, merging de-confliction and spacing are some of the proposed concepts currently being considered. We focus on modeling and simulating a complementary airborne and ground system for ASM. From a ground systems perspective a scheduler will generate arrival sequences and spacing requirements that will be fed to the ASM system operating on the flight deck. We propose to use and enhance NASAs ACES software to model and simulate our concept. Our Phase I simulation will include a prototype model of an airport emulating SDO and an implementation of airborne spacing and merging algorithms implemented in the ACES flight agents. Integral to our proposed effort will be the understanding future demand in terminal areas as NAS transitions to NGATS type concepts and operations in 2025 including the impacts of possible VLJ induced traffic. Using the simulations we will evaluate the performance of our approach as air traffic densities increase, evaluate controller workload and investigate extensions needed for totally airborne autonomous operations.

Organizational Responsibility

Responsible Mission Directorate
Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
Responsible Program
Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer (SBIR/STTR)
Lead Organization
Langley Research Center (LaRC)

Project Duration

Start: 2007-01-19
End: 2007-07-23

Partner Organizations

Langley Research Center
Lead Organization
NASA Center
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
Supporting Organization
Industry

Project Contacts

Program Director
Program Manager

Primary U.S. Work Locations

Maryland
Virginia

Technology Area

Primary Technology Area:

16.3 Traffic Management Concepts

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