This month, NASA Ames Research Center will hold its 2021 Honor Awards ceremony in Mountain View, California. In total, 20 employees of the MFRA SimLabs contract team were members of three teams receiving group achievement Honor Awards for outstanding performance in supporting the NASA mission.
MFRA staff on the Ames SimLabs contract are honored as members of the Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS) Human Landing System (HLS) Simulation Development Team. NASA and contractor HLS Simulation Development Team members are recognized for their exceptional efforts in completing not only an HLS demo for the astronaut office and two competing HLS teams, but also for integrating two individual HLS models into the VMS, which were customized based on the requirements for each of the two competing teams. This demonstration and two simulations were completed within a period of only five months.
The VMS Rehost Team is also being recognized for outstanding performance in completing a complex and lengthy upgrade of the FAMX host computer system. This critical system runs the vehicle math model, transmits the acceleration commands to the motion system, transmits the position data to the out-the-window visual system, and collects the simulation data. The Rehost project scope includes software development and hardware upgrades that must work together seamlessly to support real-time human-in-the-loop simulation. This year saw the culmination of the multi-year project to rewrite the host system from the ground up, as the full system passed acceptance testing and moved into operation. The Rehost software developers continued to test and refine the system while at the same time supporting simulation development work throughout the past year. The NASA and contractor team carried on with diligence and integrity, ensuring the VMS acceptance test results held to their high standards.
The outstanding results of these two high-visibility efforts are a testament to the technical expertise and commitment to excellence demonstrated by each member of these two teams.