Rocket Flight Safety Analysis and Space System Applications Using MATLAB

Commercial space is a rapidly emerging market that has previously not been viable until the miniaturization of satellites. As the space industry is quickly moving forward, so too must the generation of software tools that enable it. A key priority in achieving this goal is to focus on capability development as opposed to software development – which is an area that MATLAB^® excels in.

Southern Launch is a launch service provider with the goal of frequently launching orbital rockets from its Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex in Port Lincoln. To support this endeavour, we have developed Rocket Flight Safety Analysis tools and Space System applications using built-in MATLAB functionality.

The Rocket Flight Safety Analysis tool (named MAGIC) can assess the danger areas, compute the expected number of casualties, and generate exclusion zones for a launch. This is achieved in MATLAB by wrapping around a 6-DoF simulation tool (ASTOS) and conducting a parallelised Monte Carlo analysis by simulating various failure response modes (FRMs) to capture how the rocket could fail and predict where rocket debris would land. The locations for where rocket debris lands can be statistically analysed to calculate the probability of impact, which is input into range safety equations to determine the expected number of casualties resulting from a launch.

Our Space System applications using MATLAB include a range surveillance network and monitoring meteorological conditions at the launch site in support of the GO/NO-GO decision.