Electronicdesign 7919 67pcometrosettapromo
Electronicdesign 7919 67pcometrosettapromo
Electronicdesign 7919 67pcometrosettapromo
Electronicdesign 7919 67pcometrosettapromo
Electronicdesign 7919 67pcometrosettapromo

ESA Pursues 3D-Rendering Software Solution to Study Comets

Jan. 8, 2015
The European Space Agency (ESA) is partnering with the Qt Company to develop a 3D-rendering software module that will play a key role in characterizing comets.
This composite image of comet 67P, otherwise known as Churyumov–Gerasimenko, was taken by Rosetta in August 2014. (Image courtesy of the ESA)

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Rosetta mission, established to seek the origin of comets, is currently studying comet 67P to create a portrait of its nucleus, makeup, and orbit around the sun. The ESA recently announced it will work with the Qt Company to develop a 3D-rendering software module as part of the ESA’s Mapping and Planning of Payload Science (MAPPS) tool. To date, developing such software has proven difficult in terms of meeting the mission’s goals due to the irregularity of comets, which makes them unsuitable for modeling as flattened spheres (the typical approach taken with planetary missions).

A two-step approach will be taken to render the elements required in creating a 3D model of the comet. First, the elements will be rendered on a texture map representing the surface of the comet, and that includes its irregular shape. That texture will then be sent to the MAPPS tool, which will apply it to the surface of the 3D model to allow for planning and data analytics. The ESA chose Qt Company as a partner due to its development framework—it enables rapid development and supports GPU hardware acceleration, a necessity for complex 3D rendering software.

Watch the video below, courtesy of the ESA, for highlights from the Rosetta mission’s soft-landing of the Philae probe on the comet:

Qt, a cross-platform application and UI framework, can be used for embedded device creation and application development. UI can be developed with Qt Quick (written with the Qt-specific language, QML, which has a C++ backend), C++, HTML5, or a hybrid of all three. Qt runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac, and offers a drag-and-drop interface to promote easy prototyping and use. The original MAPPS tool was developed as part of the Mars Express, and later on Venus Express, which were experiments to provide detailed terrain data.

Sponsored Recommendations

Board-Mount DC/DC Converters in Medical Applications

March 27, 2024
AC/DC or board-mount DC/DC converters provide power for medical devices. This article explains why isolation might be needed and which safety standards apply.

Use Rugged Multiband Antennas to Solve the Mobile Connectivity Challenge

March 27, 2024
Selecting and using antennas for mobile applications requires attention to electrical, mechanical, and environmental characteristics: TE modules can help.

Out-of-the-box Cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity with AWS IoT ExpressLink

March 27, 2024
This demo shows how to enroll LTE-M and Wi-Fi evaluation boards with AWS IoT Core, set up a Connected Health Solution as well as AWS AT commands and AWS IoT ExpressLink security...

How to Quickly Leverage Bluetooth AoA and AoD for Indoor Logistics Tracking

March 27, 2024
Real-time asset tracking is an important aspect of Industry 4.0. Various technologies are available for deploying Real-Time Location.

Comments

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Electronic Design, create an account today!