NG3DV

☛ Position: Software Architect & Lead Developer
☛ Schedule: Jan. 2009 - Dec. 2011
☛ Client: German Aerospace Center (DLR)
☛ Team size: 2 people

Project description

NG3DV was built as the successor to the SatViz project described below. The goal was to re-implement the simulation system with a unified and simplified architecture, using updated technologies to improve the overall robustness, usability and performance level.

The project was structured as a framework that could be extended with different plugins. It provided all important sub-projects supported in SatViz, and was also extended with more sub-projects such as:

Mars Express,
TET satellite,
UAV simulator

This software also introduced many new features such as:

Advanced shader effects,
Earth map providers integration,
Large scale environment simulation,
Multi-window display, etc.

I initiated and defined the complete software architecture.
I upgraded the OSG based 3D engine created for SatViz and integrated it into a wxWidget based application.
I gathered significant experience with:
- GUI development,
- Networking protocols,
- Project management,
- OpenSceneGraph framework & GLSL shaders,
- Online Earth Map services
I implemented advanced features on the 3D engine such as:
- Retrieval of Microsoft Virtual Earth imagery and NASA World Wind elevation layers,
- Complex shading effects (atmospheric scattering, realistic ocean, etc)
- Orbit propagation and footprint projection on Earth,
- Video streaming support with ffmpeg
- Integration in web page with a java applet
- License management and encryption

⇒ The NG3DV software replaced the SatViz installations and was used during many years for public demonstration and satellite monitoring. This re-newed system overpassed initial expectations and offered astonishing new capabilities such as handling more than 1000 satellites with precise positioning concurrently.