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Mission Planning Lab

Mission Planning Lab

Mission Planning Lab (MPL)

NEW: NASA Goddard MPL Brochure (2021)


See the missions that MPL has successfully supported.


Mission Planning Lab

The Mission Planning Lab (MPL) provides a collaborative visualization and analysis tool that allows realistic simulation, presentation and evaluation of platform selection, flight profiles, and range asset placement.

By integrating detailed information on vehicle capabilities, range capabilities, and mission specific objectives, MPL meets several critical current needs for the Wallops Research Range.

A pre and post-flight mission tool, MPL visualizes, analyzes, and optimized mission specifications based on vehicle characteristics, range setup, and performance to support missions and assess alternatives with:

  • Visibility
  • Feasibility
  • Variability
  • Certainty

MPL now supports real-time capability.

MPL Supports All Mission Life Cycle Stages

  • Formulation
    • Integrate Mission Design Trades with existing/proposed capabilities.
    • Baseline assumptions and performance goals.
  • Testing
    • Assess and validate assumptions and goals.
  • Analysis
    • Compare and analyze performance with planned asset configuration.
  • Training
    • Scenarios generated can exercise Safety and Operations personnel.
    • Educate university students (future workforce).
Mission Planning Lab Handout
Post Flight video of NGSP
Click to download the full video/audio
Black Brant XI sounding rocket launch from NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia on June 26, 2008
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