Projets

Ci-dessous sont énumérés quelques uns de nos projets réalisés ou en cours de réalisations au sein de  l'Agence Spatiale canadienne (CSA), NRC, Air Canada, Hydro-Québec & PACCAR. :  

Projets à l'Agence Spatiale Canadienne (ASC)

Technologie de l'espace 
  • Ingénierie Logicielle
  • Support Robotique  
  • Gestion de Projet  
  • Développement de base de données
  • Petits Satellites

Systèmes Spatiale 

  • Support des opérations spatiales
  • Gestion de la Configuration  
  • Développement de base de données
  • Ingénierie logicielle et simulation
  • Ingénierie Logistique de soutien


Agence Spatiale Canadienne, 
St-Hubert, Québec

Station Spatiale Internationale (ISS)

En sa qualité de partenaire dans le programme Station Spatiale Internationale, l'Agence Spatiale Canadienne contribue au Mobile Servicing System (MSS). Le segment spatiale du MSS possède trois secteurs:

Le système télémanipulateur de la station spatiale (SSRMS); le système de base MRS (MBS); et le Manipulateur agile spécialisé Dextre (SPDM). Ce système entier est conçu pour bâtir et maintenir la station spatiale internationale (ISS), et est développé au segment spatial de l'Agence Spatiale Canadienne à Saint Hubert, Québec.

Le Programme de la Station Spatiale comprend des installations perfectionnées au sol. Les installations terrestres portent le nom du Complexe des exploitations MSS (MOC), et le Sustaining Engineering Facility (MSEF) situés au siège social de l'ASC à Saint-Hubert, au Québec. 

Il assure l'infrastructure, les ressources, l'équipement et l'expertise nécessaires à l'exploitation du MSS dans l'espace: entraînement, appui logistique, traitement au sol et ingénierie de soutien. Le MOC sert à planifier les missions, à surveiller le bon état de fonctionnement du télémanipulateur et à entraîner les astronautes et les cosmonautes

 Les  équipements actuels du MOC sont divisés en opérationnel, formation, et équipements de simulation: 

  • Le Centre de Soutien aux Activités Spatiales  (SOSC) est l'interface de support opérationnel avec le complexe centre de contrôle de la  NASA (CCC) au centre spatial Johnson (JSC) à Houston, Texas.  Le SOSC fournit les équipements et les outils nécessaires pour supporter les activités planifiées sur orbite, Surveiller l'execution des activités, et analyser données résultantes .

  • Le service canadien de formation MSS  (CMTF) est le service où  la formation de l'équipage, des instructeurs, et du personnel de soutien à terre est préparée et conduite.

  • Le service de simulation du MSS est composé du simulateur de formation et des opérations  (MOTS), l'environnement virtuel de formation et des opération  (STVF), et la station de travail  du système de support logistique . 

     

    • Le MOTS est le simulateur MSS qui caractèrise les performances du MSS. Il soutient les activités canadiennes d'opérations et de formation, fournissant les modèles fonctionnels et dynamiques de haute fidélité des configurations en orbite de segment spatial de MSS.

    • Le STVF est basé sur le MOTS,  mais a été doté du bras robot qui s'exécute comme le SPDM simulé. Le STVF alimente également des données de la force de contact recueillies au MOTS en temps réel, assurant une plus grande fidélité lors de la vérification des tâches du SPDM quin doivent être exécuté en orbite, et en impliquant la charge  des insertion/extraction utile.

    •  VOTE est le service où des simulations MOTS sont expérimentées dans un environnement de visionnement stéréoscopique immersive et interactif. Ceci offre la possibilité à des perfectionnements virtuels (tels que des outils, ou des vues arbitraires) pour former dans une orientation spatiale etune visiualisation 3D cognitive.

  • Finalement, la station de travail LSS fournit des outils analytiques pour les analyses du support logistique(LSA),gestion des inventaires, analyse des tendances et  fonctions relatives de logistique.

MOTS

 Le service Mobile Servicing System Operations & Training Simulation (MOTS) se compose des environnements des degrés variables de fidélité de simulation en temps réel, avec un agrégat des outils de logiciel prévus pour l'appui des opérations spatial, et de la formation des équipages et des contrôleurs dans le contexte du programme du système canadien de robotique installés sur la station spatiale internationale.

La simulation produit un environnement à haute fidélité qui réplique la kinématique des systèmes de robotiques, la dynamique, la commande, et la réponse de données. Des commandes et les actions des opérateurs sont entrées à partir des pupitres de commande qui émulent l'article de vol. Ces entrées sont alors traitées par les modèles de simulation de logiciel de contrôle pour produire les réponses dynamiques appropriées. 

MOTS fournit l'infrastructure pour supporter les défauts de fonctionnement de la simulation, enregistrement de données et archivage, et la mise à jour des modèles de simulation et des modèles de station en données de vol obtenues par les tests  la caractérisation ou les changements de configuration en orbite.

En 2000 Barada a gagné le contrat principal un contrat important pour soutenir des activités technologiques au sein complexe de simulation. Ceci inclut la définition des procédures opérationnelles, le support des activités de développement et de validation, et fournir leur expertise technique pour assister le staff de gestionnaire dans augmentation des équipements.


Barada employee operating the MOTS simulator


Employé de Barada simulant une mission spatiale
STVF

The cost and risks associated with the execution of robotics tasks in Space require that all procedures be verified on Earth prior to their execution in Space. Canada, through the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), is responsible for the verification of the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM) tasks to be performed at the various International Space Station work-sites. To this end, the CSA is building the SPDM Task Verification Facility (STVF).

The STVF allows verification of kinematics criteria (clearance, interface reach, degrees of freedom), dynamic criteria (insertion forces, flexibility), visual accessibility criteria (ability to see the worksite) and resources (power, crew time).  The verification can be done through analysis, simulation or experimentation. The driving requirement for STVF is to simulate SPDM on-orbit operations with sufficient fidelity to perform this verification function.


Employé de Barada travaillant sur le contrôleur du robot STVF

Several Barada employees are currently working on the STVF project, providing their expertise on robotics, modeling, real-time software, graphical user interface development and integration. The ground based robot and its controller have been an ideal platform for the Space Technologies department researcher to experiment in the field of robot control, in particular with the symbolic representation of robot and automatic real-time code generation for hardware-in-the-loop robot controller (the Symofros project), supported by Barada employees.

 
VOTE

The primary purpose of the Virtual Operations and Training Environment (VOTE) is to provide virtual technology tools for the training of astronaut manipulating the Canadian robotic arm to be installed on the International Space Station. As a secondary purpose, support to operation development and validation is considered.

Immersion achieved by virtual reality technology can help trainees develop functional 3D models of an environment. Thus, VOTE needs to provide trainee immersion in the Space Station environment  This is achieved in VOTE by providing the following :
  1. A 3D representation of the International Space Station in a virtual environment.
  2. Stereoscopic display of the virtual environment to the trainee.
  3. Head movement tracking allowing trainee navigation in the virtual environment. In order to allow the trainee to visualize the complexity of the robotic arm operations and trajectory in the context of the Space Station, the following functionality's are also provided by VOTE:
    • An animated 3D representation of the robotic arm in the virtual environment.
    • Generation of  robotics animation using real operations data.


Barada employee setting-up a virtual reality session with the VOTE

Today's virtual reality technology does not provide optimal human vision cues with the current display technology, which make it difficult to perform some distance judgment tasks in VOTE. The later problem, together with the fact that virtual reality provides the possibility to create graphical representation of abstract concepts (such as frame of reference), lead to the development of  visualization tools used as training aid within the virtual environment. These visualization tools are called Virtual Tools in the VOTE context.

VOTE also provides, the animation of a virtual mannequin to reproduce the movements of the arms and head for an immersed person. This uses an inverse kinematics library to animate the limbs according to tracking data.

Barada provides the core of the software engineers team developing the VOTE. Barada is also pursuing a new project that is a spin-off of the VOTE, in collaboration with a Canadian University. This project is destined to be one of the major research and development project undertaken by Barada. It is described later.

 
SOSC

The Space Operations Support Center (SOSC) is an integral part of the Ground Segment to support Space Station Operations. It has an interactive interface to the Space Station Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center for real-time telemetry monitoring, mission planning, logistics and sustaining engineering support of robotics operations. The SOSC project focuses on the development and integration of ground facilities to provide real-time and non-real time support to the Canadian Space Station Remote Manipulator (SSRMS) and the Mobile Servicing System (MBS). In this context, the SOSC consists of a facility that provides support for International Space Station flights. The SOSC will also provide engineering support from the Engineering Support Center (ESC) at the Canadian Space Agency. Barada has won the Ground Segment Engineering contract with the Canadian Space Agency, supplying personnel to complete the installation of the SOSC facility and all related software and databases, plus perform maintenance and support during missions.  


Barada employee at the SOSC consoles
Logistics and Sustaining Engineering

In 2000 Barada won a major contract with the Canadian Space Agency to provide resources to support logistics and sustaining engineering for the Canadian robotics systems installed on the International Space Station.

The main objectives of the Logistics and Sustaining Engineering (L&SE) group are to plan and conduct all activities necessary to sustain optimal technical performance of the Space Station’s Canadian robotic arm and all of its components (i.e. the Mobile Servicing System or MSS) throughout its life cycle, and this in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.


Barada’s Logistics and Sustaining Engineering group

Activities of this group include:

  • Development of integrated logistics capabilities for the Space Station program. This includes re-supply and maintenance planning, inventory management, and all other activities necessary for sustaining the MSS’ functional performance.

  • Procurement of spares, flight and ground-support equipment, and management of L&SE facilities.

  • Development, maintenance, and operation of the Engineering Support Center (ESC) at the Canadian Space Agency, and providing L&SE support to real-time operations.

  • Performing MSS Engineering Analysis, including post-mission analysis and trend analysis at the ESC and at the MSS Sustaining Engineering Facility at the Prime Contractor (MSEF).

  • Management of MSS software and hardware maintenance; support of software integration, testing, and verification capabilities; management of hardware and software modifications and enhancements, etc.

  • Providing support to Canadian Space Agency Training, Operations, Payload, and Ground Segment groups, as required.

  • Providing regular L&SE support to NASA, for miscellaneous tasks such as coordinating the transfer of data, hardware, and software.

  • Management of Prime Contractor L&SE activities and deliverables.

  • Management of L&SE data and associated databases.

LIS (logistics information system)
The Logistics Information System is a dynamic web site used to track the inventory of Canadian space-borne robotics systems. HTML pages are generated in real-time as data gets modified in the database.

Barada was awarded contracts to maintain and perform database management on this system. Further development of this system is still in progress.

 

SOCRATE (System to Organize, Conceptualize, Record and Analyze Training Environment)

SOCRATE is a client/server database application based on Oracle/Power-builder, developed to support and integrate all phases of the training development process based on military standards (Canadian Forces Individual Training System, A-P9-000-000/PT-000 CFITS). It has been originally developed to assist the training of astronauts for upcoming missions on the International Space Station.

The supported training development process covers the task analysis, the training design, the training conduct, and the courses evaluation and validation for performance based training.

One of SOCRATE's unique features is its capability to link performance standards used to develop each lesson of a course to the original task analysis on which the course is based. This way, a much better control can be achieved to make sure that no unnecessary training is carried on and that the required training objectives and standards are all covered.

Another most interesting feature is the scheduling tool that allows to easily customize courses according to a trainee's experience and that provides comprehensive schedules for the trainees and the staff involved in the training conduct.

SOCRATE provides complete Configuration Management for the courseware material (e.g. Word Processing documents, PowerPoint slides, lesson plan documents, etc.).

SOCRATE also provides a variety of important reports and forms, integrates all electronic courseware material, provides administration tools and comes with a complete context sensitive on-line help system.

Barada was awarded the contract to develop this application for the Canadian Space Agency. Barada’s personnel are still actively refining this product, maintaining it and performing database management on this system.  Moreover, Barada began the process of acquiring from the Canadian Space Agency the legal rights for this product, targeting its commercialization in the near future. Research and development activities are underway at Barada (refer to the “Document Management Plug-in” project) to offer state-of-the-art functionality within SOCRATE.

 

ORIS

ORIS is a system to track Contracts, Contacts, Organizations, Corporate Overviews, Committee Management, Regional Distributions, etc. ORIS was designed for the Canadian Space Agency and is currently in production.

Barada is still maintaining and performing database management on this system occasionally, for the Canadian Space Agency.

EDRADMIN Configuration Management System

EDRADMIN is a Configuration Management system that was developed by Barada for the hardware and software Configuration Management department of the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) at the Canadian Space Agency.

EDRADMIN tracks all the documentation (issues, authors, etc..) related to the development and operations of SSRMS (e.g. engineering drawings, specifications, procedures, reports, etc.). The system also tracks the Engineering Change Process (ECN's, ECP's, Deviations, Waivers, etc.) and contains a database of the entire SSRMS part breakdown structure, starting from the entire assembly.

Recently, this system was augmented to include Integrated Flight Loads (e.g. a system to track all software components and data files to be loaded on the Space Station).

Barada personnel are still maintaining and performing database management on this system.

Corporate Action Tracking System (CATS)

CATS is a database application made by Barada for the Canadian Space Agency to tracks the action items generated as a result of events (such as design reviews) as well as any other events.

The system categorizes the action items into four categories (level 1 to level 4). Level 1 action items are at the highest level (director's level). Level 2, and 3 are usually assigned to the managers reporting to the directors. Level 4 action items are at the lowest level. Usually many actions are issued at this level in order to resolve an action at a higher level. Action items are assigned priorities and given a status. Each user can view and act on all action items assigned to him/her, as well as action items assigned to persons working for him/her in the organization.

A dynamic Web interface to the system was developed, which allows the user to access and act on his/her action items using the Web browser.

Space Technologies
QUICKSAT

The QuickSat project is an in-house project of the Canadian Space Agency, which goal is to develop internal know-how in space-craft technologies. Target knowledge are design and construction of reliable spacecraft, satellite tracking, coordination with launch agencies, and collection and processing of scientific and engineering information.

The operating site will be the Canadian Space Agency at St-Hubert, Quebec, using the amateur radio station hardware upgraded for the specific mission's requirements. User's will be the amateur radio community since QuickSat will support the PACSAT communication system, plus other groups or organization as QuickSat payloads are defined (they are TBD at the time this document is written).

The QuickSat Bus Control and Management flight software is running on the QuickSat on-board computer, which uses a single CPU running a multi-tasking operating system. Its main responsibilities are to bring and maintain the spacecraft in an operational state while allowing ground personnel to monitor and control any modifiable spacecraft parameters and users to access available data gathered by the spacecraft.

Barada personnel have been involved since the early stages of the project, now being the lead for the software development and integration of the bus. Barada is also involved into the development of a simulator for the micro-satellite’s attitude determination system, used to research the best possible algorithms to stabilize the spacecraft. This simulator uses the Opal-RT real-time platform.


Barada employees working on the engineering model of QuickSat


 Barada employee testing a new hardware prototype of the flight computer

SCISAT

SCISAT-1, a new Canadian satellite, will be launched to study the upper atmosphere.

The principal goal of the mission is to measure and understand the chemical and dynamical processes that control the distribution of ozone in the stratosphere. The research focus will be on the decline of stratospheric ozone at northern mid-latitudes and in the Arctic. Both the SCISAT-1 satellite and the science instrument on board will be designed and built by Canadian industry

Funding for the Small Satellite Program, under the Canadian Space Agency's Space Science Program, was provided by the Long Term Space Plan II, announced in June 1994.

Barada personnel have recently been contracted to support the Canadian Space Agency into developing parts of the ground segment systems to be used to operate SCISAT-1.

 

SECURE SATELLITE OPERATIONS

Barada is currently providing resources to the software & ground segment group of the Canadian Space Agency / Space Technologies department, to work on research initiatives for secure satellite operations.

These initiatives focus on highly secure cryptography algorithms to protect data stream between satellites and ground stations, taking into account various particularities and restriction inherent to space-borne systems (non the least being the very limited processing power available...).
MIM

The Canadian Micro-gravity Vibration Isolation Mount (MIM) is a device designed to isolate experiments from high-frequency vibrations on orbiting space platforms. Crew activity, atmospheric drag and equipment operation cause vibrations and movement on spacecraft which can hamper materials science and fluid physics experiments. With the MIM, however, experiments are isolated from these disturbances, thereby improving the quality of experiment results.

In 2000, the Canadian Space Agency awarded a contract to Barada to provide engineering resources for the development of the new evolution of the MIM device, which is due to fly on the International Space Station.


Barada employee presenting the MIM

SYMOFROS

SYMOFROS is a research initiative of the robotics group of the Canadian Space Agency/Space Technologies department. It takes the form of a software tool that allows modeling of mechanisms in tree topology with closed kinematics loops and non-holonomic constraints. The product name definition is Symbolic Modeling of Flexible Robots and Simulation. The software is divided in 5 modules:

1.   The Model Editor is the graphical user interface that provides the functionality to create a specific robot topology. The interface provides menus for the edition of the model characteristics and for the definition of the model

2.   The Symbolic Computation module: Instead of using numerical algorithms, SYMOFROS computes offline the dynamics and the kinematics equations related to the defined model. Once this task is performed, SYMOFROS generates the equivalent C source code. This module of the software has been developed using the MAPLE 5.1 release V software.

3.   The Non Real-Time (NRT) Shell Environment, provided to query a model about its dynamics and kinematics behaviors. This shell has been developed using the Matlab 5.3 R11 software. SYMOFROS provides the functionality to compile a model and to generate a non real-time executable file.

4.   The Non Real-Time (NRT) Simulation Environment: In addition to provide functionality in the Matlab shell, SYMOFROS provides Graphical Simulation blocksets that will be used in the Matlab Simulink environment. This feature allows the engineers to create quite complex controllers using simple blocks and without requiring the use of programming languages.

5.   The Real-Time (RT) Simulation, which generates C source code of the Graphical Simulation blocksets. With the Matlab toolbox, Real-Time Workshop, it is possible to create an independent executable on the operating systems mentioned above.

Through various contract with the Canadian Space Agency, Barada has been contributing (and still is) to the Symofros project. Moreover, Barada undertook research and development activities related to Symofros.

PROJECT and DOCUMENTS TRACKING SYSTEM (PTS)

PTS is a system to track (supervise) R & D Contracts from initial proposal (Project Definition Document, PDD) to its completion and then for commercialization supervision. The system electronically assists in the creation of requisitions, and creates the appropriate attachments at the same time. It allows users to link and view attachments to the requisitions electronically using any word processor available to them. The attachments can be edited and modified by the user at any time (before the user submits it for approval).

The PTS facilitates the management of projects and contracts by tracking the evolution of projects from creation to completion. The system allows a Project Leader (S.A.) to create a project and submit it to his/her Manager for acceptance in real time. Managers can use PTS to accept or reject projects. Once projects are accepted, the Project Leader (S.A.) can prepare the requisition and submit it to his/her Financial Authority for approval. PTS maintains budget information for each Financial Authority, which can be used for validating requisitions.

Barada is still actively maintaining and performing database management on this system at the Canadian Space Agency. The Document Management Plug-in research and development project at Barada targets the enhancement of this project amongst others.

 

Current projects at NRC (PharmaLaser)

Barada was recently awarded a contract to support software development for a new Laser device used to detect medication concentration in pills in pharmaceutical processing plants. This device is part of a research project lead by PharmaLaser Inc, in cooperation with the National Research Council of Canada.

Current projects at Air Canada

In 1999 Barada was mandated to develop a prototype of a database system for Air Canada management, to allow to put dollar signs predictions next to Share Holder Value Initiatives, for the Information Technology Budget Management. The prototype was delivered and the contract completed. It used Oracle, with a PowerBuilder front end.

Current projects at Hydro Quebec

In 1999 Barada was mandated by Tecsult-Eduplus to develop a prototype of an application to train and evaluate employees within their certification program ("Code de sécurité de travaux d'Hydro-Québec"). This prototype worked as a dynamic Java applet on a web page, connected to an Oracle database. The prototype was delivered and the contract completed. 

Projects at PACCAR

In 1999 Barada was mandated by Tecsult-Eduplus to undergo the initial implementation of a Configuration Management, Logistics, Support System for the PACCAR truck corporation, the SIST project. This project was delivered and the contract completed.