Working under an Air Force SBIR phase II contract, Stellar Science sought to apply the latest shape from motion (SFM) computer vision algorithms to the space situational awareness (SSA) domain. The goal of this research project was to compute the three-dimensional (3D) shape and orientation of a satellite from two-dimensional (2D) images of it. SSA imagery presents some unique challenges and advantages for solving the shape from motion problem. By combining a number of techniques from computer vision and computer graphics, Stellar Science demonstrated the feasibility of automatically constructing a satellite model from an uncalibrated sequence of space surveillance images.
Our website presents one successful test case. The computational process involves 2D feature tracking and matching, linear factorization, non-linear optimization, outlier rejection, background-foreground segmentation, volumetric shape carving, alpha shape facetization, and hardware-accellerated multi-texture mapping.
Solid Modeling Tool. This computer-aided design (CAD) tool allows users to develop extremely detailed three-dimensional combinatorial solid geometry models from a basic set of primitives shapes. It includes the ability to define articulating components and a raytracing tool for producing images of the models after resolving boolean geometry operations. A recent addition is the ability to model wrinkled foil surfaces and both ambient and directional light sources.
Requests for the SMT software or additional information about SMT should be directed to the Air Force Research Laboratory.
MACH is a general-purpose time-dependent Magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) computer simulation for problems in complex geometries. There is a 2-1/2D version, MACH2, and a 3D version, MACH3. MACH simulates electrons and ions interacting with magnetic fields, radiation, elastic stress, and fluid flow using a variety of equations of state.
Building the geometric models to use as MACH3 inputs in the past was a painstaking manual process. The models were built with a text editor, and there were few tools to determine if problem geometries were correct other than to run the code, possibly taking days on a supercomputer, and view the results. Stellar Science developed an interactive 3D model viewer that allows users to explore the shape, grid spacing, and boundary conditions of a model before running the simulation. We are currently working to add full model creation and editing capabilities to the tool.
More information about MACH3 is available at the Air Force Research Laboratory. Requests for MACH3 software or additional information should be made to TECH CONNECT, AFRL/XPTT, (800) 203-6451.
Open Cascade is an open-source CAD modeling package originally developed by Matra Datavision. Stellar Science uses this library in one of our applications, and has become an active contributor to this open source project. Our ImproveCascade page describes this in more detail.
CCM is a library for managing, marking, and merging U.S. Government and foreign government security classification strings. It supports the official Controlled Access Program Coordination Office (CAPCO) standard for document marking and includes collateral, FGI, SCI, SAR, and other marking types. Read more about it at our ccm page.
NITF Escalator is a file format plug-in for Adobe Photoshop that allows users to read NITF 2.0, NITF 2.1 and NSIF 1.0 images directly into Photoshop and other host image processing applications. Please visit our NITF Escalator page for more information or to evaluate and/or purchase this product.
J2K Escalator is a file format plug-in for Adobe Photoshop that allows users to read JPEG 2000 images directly into Photoshop and other host image processing applications. Please visit our J2K Escalator page for more information or to evaluate and/or purchase this product.
ECW Escalator is a file format plug-in for Adobe Photoshop that allows users to read ECW images directly into Photoshop and other host image processing applications. Please visit our ECW Escalator page for more information.
