Dshell-DARTS: A reusability-focused multi-mission aerospace and robotics simulation toolkit

The Dshell-DARTS framework is a versatile simulationtoolkit designed for aerospace and robotics applications.Developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), it supportshigh-fidelity simulations for a wide range of systems,including interplanetary, orbital, atmospheric, and surface vehicles,as well as robotic platforms. Dshell-DARTS integrateskey capabilities in support of these simulations, such as rigidand flexible multi-body dynamics, sensor simulation, collisionmodeling, terramechanics computations, and gravity and atmosphericmodeling. This paper outlines the challenges ofdeveloping a simulation framework capable of supporting suchdiverse domains and capabilities. Reusability is identified asa key feature in meeting these challenges, and some of thearchitectural choices adopted in Dshell-DARTS that enable andpromote reusable capability development are explored. Thisreusability-focused architecture reduces the need for bespokesimulation creation, which accelerates development and testing,and enhances robustness. The Dshell-DARTS framework hasbeen successfully used in numerous NASA missions, demonstratingits versatility in supporting complex and diverse missionrequirements.