NASA has always been known for incorporating cutting edge technology to aid in their various programs. One technology used is the real-time 3D computer animation, which can be seen during the construction process of the International Space Station. There are several interesting aspects that make this technology impressive to me.

First would be the detail of the modeling. As for the Space Station, the 3D may seem somewhat “cartoonish” in style, but every bolt, cable and beam are present to exact specifications. NASA has the entire space station (including the space shuttle and astronauts) modeled with great accuracy. That’s a lot of precise geometry that any 3D artist can appreciate.

Another impressive aspect is the real-time animation capabilities. The pieces making up the 3d models are “live” and connected to the real world objects they represent floating in space. The computer matches the movements in real-time, which gives NASA the ability to avoid hazardous or unforeseen issues. They view this 3D animation on large screens in the Johnson Space center. Scientist and engineers on the ground can study this computer-generated representation while the actual construction process is going on in orbit. For example, when astronauts go out to work on the station, their 3D astronaut avatars match their position within the 3D model. 

The third reason is the fact that the real-time computer animation is being used as a tool in the actual construction process itself. In other words, it has become part of the assembly process as opposed to just only a presentational tool. It’s is a needed capability that would otherwise make some construction aspects impossible, or at least impractical to manage. For example, the computer allows complete control over what you can view during the construction process within this 3D world. This is critical when trying to place large objects in precise locations and it is sometimes too hard to match certain angles with limited resources in space. Rotating, zooming, and panning allows the animation camera to moved to any point and view what would otherwise be an impossible task.

It’s great to see NASA pushing 3D graphics to its fullest capabilities, because it helps push the technology for the rest of us.